IT'S MY LIFE NOW OR NEVER I AIN'T GONNA LAST FOREVER
by burleseymour
Summary: This is my thought process in my own head of how I think my favorite characters Arizona and Callie first met, and as their life together progresses. After watching the first few episodes of Season 10, I think the writers should start their relationship over again from the beginning. A do over if you will. But that is just my opinion. Anyhoo, this story is how I see their beginning.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N…After watching the Grey's Anatomy Season 10 Episode 3, I could not get this thought for a story out of my head. Seeing Arizona and her new look and her new haircut, just like the way she wore her hair back in the late episodes of Season 5 when she and Callie first met, I wanted to write their story from a different view. Starting over if you will because I think that is what their story needs for this season…a new start from the beginning. Hope you all that read this story enjoy this version of the thought process in my head and of their new beginning…KB**

**IT'S MY LIFE…NOW OR NEVER…I AIN'T GONNA LAST FOREVER!**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**AUGUST 15, 2005…**

I am sitting in the back of an open aired jalopy of a transport vehicle that is taking all of us to a village in Botswana. With my crew of doctors and nurses as we leave our village of Zomba In Malawi yesterday morning to travel to Francistown just inside the Botswana border from Zimbabwe. It has been a grueling ride for the last eighteen hours, to say the least, but just six more to go our guide keeps telling us. I am trying to read the latest letter from my brother who is serving in Iraq and has been for over a year now. We both became doctors as he joined the Marine Corp as a trauma surgeon after his residency at Mass Gen as I became a Pediatric surgeon and volunteered to come to this god forsaken country during my residency at Johns Hopkins at the bequest of my mentor, Dr. Norman McHale. Now here it is two years later and I am still here in this god forsaken country helping the children of Malawi while my brother is just trying to save some soldiers lives as well as his own.

Tim is writing to me about some folks he met during his stop in Fallujah at a MASH unit. They're Americans in the U.S. Army as one is from Seattle as he a trauma surgeon like my brother and the other is a woman from New York that is a heart surgeon. He writes about his new found friends as the gentleman of the group tell my brother to look him up in Seattle when he finishes his tour of duty. Tim tells Owen that he will do just that. Tim wishes Owen and Teddy goodbye as his unit makes their way back to the city of Tikrit. Tim then proceeds to tell me about our mom and dad moving to Boston from Seattle so mom can be closer to her sister Jodi because our aunt is not in the best of health. My brother says that once I leave this god forsaken country that I could meet up with him in Seattle so we can share and live in our parent's home while we try to find gainful employment as doctors in the emerald city of Seattle…or wherever we choose to help others with our surgical and medical talents.

Just before we reach Francistown, I finish recording my letter back to my brother. I have chosen to speak my responses back to him so he can hear my voice because I simply do not have time to sit and write letters. With the Internet service in Malawi being pretty non existent but it has just come into play about nine months ago, I just record my messages and send them through the U.S. military postal service stationed in the capital city of Lilongwe. Tim does this way of messaging sometimes when he's very busy but most of the time he just writes letters to me. We both send pictures of each other to each other when we can but getting pictures developed can be pretty tricky here in Malawi. My picture usually consists of me in the middle of the picture surrounded by all the children of our village. Tim's pictures are full of his Marine Corp buddies and some local color as he calls it as they consists mostly of the women that live in the cities where he visits. I just laugh at my brother but the one thing I have noticed lately with his picture taking of these women, we both seem to have an interest in the same type of women. Tall, dark and brunette…

My posse, as some of my medical staff like to call themselves, and I reach the city of Francistown just before dark and all of us go into our doctor and nurse mode as we begin to help the children with their individual health needs. By morning my staff and I realize that there has been an outbreak of the chicken pox virus. My medical staff has taken the precise precautions as to quarantine part of the village from the rest of the village. Most of the cases we have encountered are children with a few adults but we want to be safe and not risk the other inhabitants of the village. With the local priest and mayor of Francistown holding a town meeting to inform the rest of the residents of the outbreak, my medical staff and I stays on sight for the next ten days to see that medical attention is given to each and every individual man, woman and child.

After a few days the local people begin to tell my medical staff of some workers that have come to their village from The Peace Corp of the U.S. a few months back. These workers have traveled throughout Africa for the past two years but they left a couple of days ago to help out another village with their water irrigation system. Father Raoul comes to my tent after my rounds to discuss the possibility of these workers bringing in the chicken pox virus with them through their travels. I tell him if they have been in the village for a few months now that it is probably not possible that they brought this virus with them. I tell him more than likely an elderly member of the community became sick with the virus and before they could be treated the virus spread because it is an airborne contaminate. That is why we are checking each individual of Francistown before we leave. A couple of days later, the medical staff begin to lift the quarantine off most of the children and all of the adults. Later that afternoon just before dark the bus that is carrying all of the Peace Corp volunteers arrives back in Francistown.

I quickly board the bus before anyone gets off as I say to all of the volunteers "Hello My name is Dr. Robbins and my staff and I are here because there has been an outbreak of the chicken pox in this village. I would like all of you as you depart the bus to walk over to the makeshift clinic we have set up to have my staff ask you all some questions and give you all a shot for the chicken pox virus. Thank you". I exit the bus as the rest of my team ushers all of the volunteer workers into the clinic. I grab some gloves and a gown as I make my way inside the clinic also and begin to examine the people from the bus. I am holding onto a clipboard as I pull the curtain open and back again to find a gorgeous Latina woman sitting on the gurney. I try to think of something to say when this beautiful woman says to me first "Wow, this must be my lucky day". I quickly say "Excuse me" with a slight giggle in my voice. Then this magnificently stunning woman says back to me "My luck is changing…you see I bet one of the other ladies in our little group that I would be seen by one of the other doctors because I would never be lucky enough to be seen by someone as fine looking as you". I smile back at this woman as I am enjoying her flirtatious tone when I say "Well it is a pleasure to meet you too". This woman just won't stop as she says to me "Oh no doc, the pleasure is all mine". I straighten up my lab coat as I do not know what to say to this attractive woman so I just take my stethoscope from around my neck as I check her heartbeat and her lungs and then I ask this woman some basic questions. Then this woman grabs a hold of my hand as she shakes it roughly and says "Hi, by the way my name is Callie".

As the evening of the tenth day immeasurably approaches, Callie and I know that come tomorrow morning that my medical staff and I will be leaving to travel back to Malawi. All of the children have done outstanding in their recovery from the chicken pox. The last of the children are taken back to their families after dinner this evening as the quarantine has been lifted. My medical staff has dismantled our mobile clinic and has packed everything neatly away for our travels tomorrow morning. I am standing outside of the bunk house that I have shared with the women of my staff for the last ten days and nights as I see Callie leaving her bunk house with a blanket in her hands as she is walking towards me. Over the last several days we have had conversations about our lives before coming to Africa and what our future holds for us once we leave this god forsaken country during our free time as I find her absolutely fascinating and intriguing to say the least. Callie walks up to me and she says in almost a whisper "Hey there you". I say back to her in the same tone of voice "Hey there yourself". Then Callie asks me "You want to go for a walk before you retire for the evening"? Then she takes my hand and leads me in a direction away from everyone else's curious eyes.

We walk together for several hundred yards as Callie stops near a marula tree as she lays the blanket on the dirt below. She takes my hand as she silently asks me to sit next to her on the blanket. I take a seat next to her as she begins to speak "Arizona, I know that I have only known you for a few days but I think we could become great friends. I would like to keep in touch with you even after we both leave Africa. I am due to leave by the 15th of November and I will travel to Miami and spend the holidays with my family and return to finish my last year of my internship". I watch the pale moon light stream through the marula tree as it dances off Callie's face and her gorgeous body as I say to her "I would love nothing more than to keep in touch with you, Calliope". I watch as Callie's face contorts a little at the sound of me mentioning her full first name as she says to me with a chuckle in her voice "My father is the only one I allow to call me Calliope…until now. I like the way it sounds rolling off you tongue". For some unknown reason when Callie says that to me I feel this strong urge to kiss her but I am afraid for a second that she may not feel the same way I do about her but then I see the attraction in her eyes and I bend forward a bit as I take a chance. My thin pink lips make contact with her plump red ones as I hear her sigh a little as my tongue traces her bottom lip as a whisper escapes Calliope mouth and I hear her say "Arizona" then she swallows my tongue deep into her mouth. Callie falls backwards onto the blanket as she takes me with her and our kiss deepens.

Just as we were about to get carried away with ourselves, we hear off into the distance numerous voices of our friends coming closer. I break our kiss and remove myself from on top of Callie. Callie reaches in her outside cargo pants pocket to pull out three glow sticks. She hands me one as we snap them in half to let off a neon green color light as we toss all three around the blanket to shed some more light on ourselves. Callie reaches in her back pocket to pull out a deck of cards as she quickly removes them from their box and throws them in between her and I to make it look like we are playing cards. I whisper to her "You have come prepared I see" and she just smiles and whispers back to me before our friends arrive "This is not my first time at the rodeo, Arizona". I smile at her response as I think to myself after that kiss we had just shared "Oh my new dear friend, I bet it isn't".

Our friends finally make their way to us as they all take their seats on and around the blanket with their cooler full of alcoholic refreshments and the chatting session between everyone begin. When the sounds of the African wildlife become to close for comfort, we all pack up our things and make our way back to the village. Callie and I walk side by side as she asks me in a professional manner "So Dr. Robbins, what are your plans once you return back to the states"? I, too, answer this gorgeous woman in the same professional manner when I say to her "Well , my brother Tim, who is still in Iraq at the moment, has asked me to join him in Seattle but I am going to finish my residency in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins. I left a lot of good friends back there and cannot wait to see them again. Also my parents recently moved back to Boston according to my brother so I am looking forward to spending the holidays with them this year. What about you Dr. Torres, what are your plans once you leave Africa"?

Knowing the answer to my question already because this is one of the topics we've talked about over the last three days since I met Calliope. Calliope answers my question as she says in front of our friends to make it sound like this is the first time I am asking about her future as she says to me "Well Dr. Robbins, I plan on flying back home to Miami to my friends and family. From there I plan on completing my internship and my med school studies and trying my damndest to find the best hospital to do my residency in as my specialty will be in orthopedic surgery". Then Callie and I join in the small talk from the other members of our little group as not to show them of our desirability for each other. We all walk back to our designated bunk houses as I bid Calliope a good night. She shakes my hand for a little while as she says to me "Have a safe trip back to Malawi and maybe I'll see you someday".

The next morning after my staff has packed everything in our transport vehicles, we say goodbye to the children of Francistown along with its priest and mayor. Just as I am about to hoist myself up in the open aired vehicle when I hear a sweet voice travel across the slight breeze in the air as I turn to see Calliope running towards me. She stops just short of my body as she says to me "Here I just wanted to give you all my information for when you arrive back in the states. I would really like to keep in touch with you so if you don't mind…call me when you land in Baltimore". She leans in and kisses my cheek and whispers in my ear "I would really like to see you again when we both make it back home". I take her note out of her hand as I place it in the front pocket of my cargo shorts as I lean in to kiss her cheek and whisper in her ear "I would love to see you again too, Calliope and I will call you when I land". I stare at the smile that I leave on my new friend's face as I lift myself up and into the back of this old jalopy. We wave at each other as she stands in that same spot until she can no longer see our truck as we vanish into the distance behind a large cloud of dust stirred up from the desert dirt. November 20th cannot come soon enough as this is the day I am designated to leave Malawi and my life here behind. In the last two years I have accomplished and grown so much as I smile at the people in this vehicle that I will leave behind to carry on Dr. Norman McHale's and my work…the Carter Madison Foundation's work. Yes, I think to myself that November 20th cannot come soon enough…as I smile about the first phone call I will make to my new friend when I land in Baltimore Maryland…in The United States of America.

**December 2, 2005**

I am standing at the baggage claim area at Boston's Logan International airport waiting for my duffle bag to come around to me. I was supposed to leave Africa and the country of Malawi in particular to fly back to the United States to complete my residency at Johns Hopkins over ten days ago but my travel plans were changed to November 30th instead. My friend and mentor Dr. Norman McHale tells me before I left Malawi to go home and see my family for the holidays before I come to back to Baltimore to complete my residency. He said that he did not want to see my shining and happy face until January 3rd. I have just talked to my parents to let them know that my plane has landed and I will be home soon. I then call the one person I promised to call as soon as my feet touched back down on U. S. soil. Within three rings I hear a sweet voice say "Hello". I wait a second or two and before my friend can say "Hello" again then I ask "Hello Calliope, is that you"?

For the next forty five minutes, until the taxicab pulls up in front of my parent's home, I talk to my friend as we catch up on our lives since we last saw each other. Callie informs me that she has stayed in Miami and is doing her internship at the University of Miami Hospital. Living at her parent's home has been quite difficult but with the time and hours she spends at the hospital she rarely sees her family anyways. But, as she points out to me with the voice of disgust, her father has requested her presence at their annual New Year's Eve party and has even went so far as to tell the head of the hospital to make sure his daughter does not have to work on New Year's Eve or even the day after. I tell Calliope that I am staying in Boston until after the New Year with my parents. There is some dead silence on the other end of the phone and I think to myself that I may have lost the call but then I hear breathing. Just as I am about to say something I hear my friend say "So you don't have to be at Johns Hopkins until after the first of the year Arizona"? I smile into the phone and say "Yea Calliope…Why"? My new friend, without any hesitation in her voice, invites me to her family's New Year's Eve party in Miami. But before I can answer Calliope, my parents come outside from inside their house to greet me home. I quickly tell Calliope that I will call her back as soon as I am settled in.

Four hours and two dozens relatives and guests later I finally find a moment to myself as I take a hot shower and get ready for bed. I am sitting on my bed rubbing lotion on my legs and arms when I notice that I have missed two text messages and one voice mail message from my friend. I open up the first text message as it reads "Arizona, I know that you are probably doing family things right now…but please think about coming to Miami for a visit. I would love to see you and we can catch up some more…let me know what you decide…miss you…Calliope". Then I open up the second text and it reads "Please…Please…Please!" I smile at the gesture and I now listen to the voice mail from my friend as she says "I know that I have left you two text messages but just in case I sent them to the wrong phone number…I just want to invite you again to please come to Miami for the New Year. I will show you around and we will have so much fun…I guarantee it my friend…just let me know…and by the way…Merry Christmas and I am very glad you made it home safe and sound. Bye for now". I quickly dial Calliope's number but it automatically goes to her voice mail. I leave her a message as I say "Well if the three pleases weren't enough you wishing me a Merry Christmas and saying that you are glad I made it home safe and sound did the trick. I would love to spend New Year's Eve with you. I am sorry for not calling you sooner but relatives and guests and dinner kind of took precedence when I arrived home this evening. But now I am showered and relaxed and lying here in this big comfy bed talking to your voice mail when I would rather be talking to you. But as our luck would have it, you are probably doing some amazing surgery and cannot be bothered with keeping me company tonight. So I bid you a lovely good night and a very Merry Christmas to you and I am too glad you made it home safe and sound. I will keep my phone on vibrate and on my pillow next to my head if you decide to call me back later this evening. Take care my friend and I will talk to you soon".

I wake up almost ten hours later from when I fell asleep the night before to the sound of my mother's sweet southern twang when she call my name from downstairs. Walking down the steps I can smell coffee brewing as I see my father sitting at the breakfast table as he nods his head towards the front door. I turn to see a very nice looking nervous gentleman standing just inside our front door and I hear him say in a quite terrified voice "Are…Are you…Are you" then I hear my father say "Speak up young man and stop your stammering". My mother calls out from the kitchen area as she says to my father sternly "Daniel, stop raising your voice and let the poor boy be…you are scaring him". I see the slight grin on my father's face as I look back to the gentleman standing at the door. I politely say to him "I am Dr. Arizona Robbins, are you looking for me"? The young man named Matthew says "Yes ma'am I am. These are for you…if you will just sign here ma'am". Matthew hands me a dozen red roses and a large envelope as he holds out a clip board for me to sign my name. I tell Matthew "Thank you" as my mother says from the kitchen "Bye bye now Matthew dear" and I lead the nice young man out the front door. My mother comes into the breakfast area with a vase for my roses as she inquires about my gifts. I place the roses in the vase and open the envelope as I surprisingly say "There from Calliope". My mother asks "Calliope is she the woman you met in Africa"? I say with delight in my voice and a big smile on my face "Yes mama…yes she is".


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**DECEMBER 3, 2005**

My mother places the roses that arrived for me from my friend in the center of the breakfast table as she serves my father and I our breakfast. My father just glares at me over the top of the flowers and does not say a word. I already know what he is thinking about my new friendship with a woman he has yet to meet. But it is my mother who begins the breakfast conversation. With her casually saying "So this Calliope person…are we ever going to get to meet her or are you going to hide her away for months like you did Carly"? I see from across the table my father's shit eating grin about my mother's question and I know again what he is thinking. He is thinking to himself "Touché my dear and way to go Barbara…Mama 1…baby girl a big fat zero". I shake my head back and forth to try to rid my thoughts of what my father is thinking when I say to my mother "No mama, I am not hiding Calliope. It's just…I haven't seen her in almost four months and only talked to her recently. So there is no hiding going on. We are just friends…nothing more". Then my father adds his two cents in when he says "Calliope huh"? I am smiling as I eat my breakfast all the while thinking that I am the only other person in the world that can call my friend by her first name…with the exception of her own father.

Once the three of us are finished with breakfast my mother asks me to go and do some Christmas shopping with her after lunch. I tell her that I will and then I slip past both my parents and make my way outside to have a smoke. My mother does not allow my father or me to smoke inside the house so I usually go out front and sit on the porch swing while my father smokes out back on the deck. The weather here in Boston is pretty chilly this morning but I sit on the porch swing and light my cigarette. I reach inside the envelope that I have received and I find a letter and a plane ticket. I examine the plane tickets closely because I see it has me leaving Boston's Logan International Airport on December 30th at 9 a.m. and arriving in Miami at just before noon. Then I notice that my departure from Miami is on January 2nd at 6 p.m. with my arrival time in Baltimore at 8:30 p.m. Both of these flights are non stop flights and my seats for both flights are in first class. Then I read the letter that accompanies the plane tickets because it is in the same handwriting that the note I was given in Malawi all those months ago was written in…as both were and are from my friend Calliope.

_My Dearest Arizona, _

_I know it is probably presumptuous of me to send you these plane tickets but I really want to see you. I just thought that if I went ahead and sent you the flowers and the tickets then you would really want to see me too. If the times on the tickets are not conducive with your travel plans back to Baltimore then you can change them to better fit your schedule. I know that we have only known each other for a short time but ever since I met you In Botswana I just can't stop thinking about you. And the kiss we shared well I just can't stop thinking about that too and I would so like to kiss you again at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day. I really do not know if you feel anything for me the way I feel for you but if not I would still like to see you again if only for a short period of time. So whether you would like to be just friends or maybe friends with benefits or you would rather just be star crossed lovers in a long distance relationship…any way is good with me because I just want you in my life because I really, really like you. So please call me when you receive this letter to let me know if I am barking up the wrong tree or you just think I am some kind of stalker or if you really, really like me too. _

_Waiting with anticipation in my heart, your friend Calliope…P.S. Wasn't really sure what kinds of flowers you liked so I just went with my heart…hope you like them…xoxoxoxo…Love Calliope!_

I smile again to myself as I reread Calliope's letter for a second time. I dial her number and she answers on the third ring. With a sleepy "Hello" ringing in my ear from Calliope's voice I say back over the phone line to my friend "You are not barking up the wrong tree and thank you for my roses and plane tickets". For the next hour or so while I remain seated on our front porch swing in the cold Boston winter as my friend states that she is sitting up in her big king sized bed leaning against the headboard in the warm sunshine of Miami we talk about the feeling that we have for each other. Then when I hear my father coming down the driveway with the snow plow attachment on his pick up truck clearing off last night's snow storm so my mother and I can go shopping later, I decide that now is a good time to end the call with my friend. With a promise from Calliope to call me later tonight so we may talk further about our plans at the end of the month we both say our goodbyes but not before I thank her again for the flowers and the plane tickets again.

I walk back into the house as my mother tells me to take a shower because I smell like an ashtray. I giggle a little at my mama when she says "I am going to tell your father the same thing when he is done with the snow plow. Why two intelligent people like the two of you resort to such a bad habit I will never understand". I am walking up the stairs heading to my bathroom when my mama finishes her statement by saying "Especially you Arizona, being a doctor and all…you really should quit smoking baby girl". I really do not have the heart to tell her that it was Tim and Nick who started me smoking when we were all in high school. Although Tim quit cold turkey after watching our friend Nick die three days after he fell asleep while he was smoking in bed. By the time the firefighters found Nick after his apartment caught fire, he was burned over seventy percent of his body. He lived for three days before succumbing to his injuries. I was in Malawi at the time of his death and was not able to come home for the funeral. That was nearly two years ago come next March.

I have just had the most wonderful conversation with Arizona as I find out that she is alright with me purchasing her plane tickets for her visit at the end of the month. She does not think I am some kind of stalker because she told me that she feels something for me too after our kiss in Botswana. I crank the music up in my room as I am dancing in my underwear because I am so happy about telling Arizona how I feel about her and finding out that she feels the same. A loud knock on my door brings me back to reality because I hear my father on the other side of the door yell my name "Calliope". For a second or two I think how I love when Arizona says my full name as it just rolls off her tongue but hearing my father say my name in such a forceful tone…not so much. I turn the music down and place a robe over my semi naked body as I answer the door. My father says to me in his stern voice "What's gotten into you, Calliope? You know that we do not play music that loud in our home especially this early in the morning". I apologize to my father for my sudden outburst of insanity as he says to me "Breakfast will be ready in about thirty minutes. Will you be joining your mother as well as your sister and me for breakfast or do you have to run to the hospital"? I kiss my father on his cheek and say "No daddy, I don't have to be at the hospital until noon. Besides I want to talk to the three of you about something anyways". My father kisses my cheek and says "We'll see you soon then" and I make my way to my bathroom to shower and change to begin this beautiful day.

My family is sitting out on the veranda as our breakfast is being served by my parents housekeeping staff as I take my seat across from my sister Aria while my father sits at the end of the table to my right and my mother is sitting at the other end of the table to my left. With the three of them already engaged in a conversation when I walk out to greet them good morning, I wait my turn to speak. The conversation that I am listening to is one between my mother and sister. They are talking about a case they are both working on at my mother's law firm. My sister Aria graduated summa cum laude from the University of Miami five years ago and is working on becoming a senior partner in the Lucia Torres Law Firm, one of the most respected law firms in Florida. I look over at my father as he smiles back at me and I whisper "How's things going with you papa"? My father and I quietly carry on our own conversation while we wait for the other ladies at the table to complete their conversation. The first chance I get to say something to all my family members I take it quickly. I announce to my family "I just want you all to know that I invited a friend to come to Miami for our New Year's celebration".

My father is the first to say "Well I am looking forward to meeting this gentleman suitor" and with that statement I decide to come clean with my family about my sexuality. My sister already knows that I like the sexual company of both men and women but my parents do not. I clear my throat and say to my parents "It is not a gentleman that I invited daddy…it is a woman and her name is Dr. Arizona Robbins. I met her when we were both in Africa a few months back and asked her to visit for a few days before she has to return to Baltimore to finish her residency". My sister Aria smiles at me from across the table and mouths the words "You go girl". My smile illuminates back to my only sister as I continue to talk "I also want you both to know that I know you are trying to set me up with Roberto. I would like this matter to be put on hold until after the New Year because I want to spend time with Arizona while she is here and do not want any kind of distraction. So please no talking about setting me up or marrying me off to someone else. I just want to spend some time with Arizona to see if there is anything else between the two of us other than friendship. I know that you both want me to marry a man someday and have children but I need to do this first for me…please".

Both of my parents just let me run off at the mouth because they have both known for years that I like both men and women but never said anything about the matter. My father is the first to speak as he says to me "Alright Calliope, your mother and I will do what you ask but since you have made it clear that this Dr. Robbins is much more than a friend to you and you would like to see if there is anything more on both of your parts then can we request that she stay at the hotel downtown during her visit. With an excessive amount of family members staying here in our home that week I simply do not think there is enough room for her too here in our home". I smile and kiss my father on his cheek as I shout "Yes daddy" but when I hear my mother clear her throat so I sit back down in my seat and wait for the wrath that is Lucia Torres. My mother does not agree with my flamboyant lifestyle as she calls it jumping from bed to bed with women and men but I sit and will wait for her response to my request.

"Mija, you father and I have known about your sexual activities for a while now. Even though I do not understand or condone this activity, I will not have it in our home. You may stay with your friend at the hotel while she is visiting Miami but I want your full attention here the night of the party. Miss Robbins may come to the festivities but under no circumstances will either of you display any kind of public affection towards each other in front of our family or friends. I don't want to spend the entire New Year's Eve party explaining your brazen activities to anyone. If you can agree to these terms then your father and I will greet Dr. Robbins with open arms" my mother impersonally says to me with a touch of venom in her voice from the dislike of my lifestyle. I wipe my mouth off with my pure Egyptian cloth napkin and coldly and callously say back to my mother "I would not have it any other way, mother". My father takes a hold of my hand in his as he squeezes it gently letting me know that everything will be alright. While Aria just sends me her sweet…sweet smile letting me know the same.

"With an eclectic diversity of cultures that live here in south Florida, Miami is full of unusual people and their fascination of having wild animals as pets" I tell Arizona as I am talking to her during one of my infrequent breaks. She says to me "Oh is that right Calliope. I could share some of my stories with you about some incompetent interns and residents here at Johns Hopkins too and some of the situations I find myself in when one of them slips up and makes a life changing mistake". Both Arizona and I banter back and forth with our "war stories" as she likes to call them but them my pager begins to blare and suddenly we both realize our call needs to end. Before I say goodnight to Arizona and make my way to the incoming MVC, I tell her of the conversation I had this morning with my sister and our parents. While walking up three flights of stairs to the emergency room here at the University of Miami Hospital, I hear Arizona say to me "It will be alright Calliope. I really did not expect to stay at the Torres Mansion during my visit. And besides I think it would be better if we keep our feelings to ourselves and heed your mother's warning about no public displays of affection. I don't know about you but I think for one night I can keep my hands and thoughts to myself". I smile into my phone as I say "Torres Mansion, huh" and with that comment I hear Arizona make that cute giggling sound I have so missed as she says "Well I can only assume".

With Calliope making me giggle into the phone with her antics, I hear the noise in the background with doctors shouting out orders to their residents and interns as I quickly say "You better go and save some lives Calliope. It sounds a little busy where you are". I hear Callie chuckle a bit and say "So you think you can keep your hands and your thoughts to yourself, huh Arizona. Well if that is possible then I just do not know how I will be able not to kiss you at midnight on New Year's Eve". I say with a little lust in my voice back to my friend "Oh my dear, I think we can get creative but we need not to get caught by your mother. So you contemplate that idea for another twenty seven days or so and I will see you on the30th". "That's all I am going to think about for the next twenty seven days until I see your smiling face with those adoring dimples walk off that plane. You have a great night Arizona and I will talk to you again soon". I say good night to my friend as we end our phone call but not before Calliope telling me she will call me when she can.

**DECEMBER 18, 2005**

For the last two weeks Calliope and I have talked over a dozen times as the 30th gets closer and closer and the anticipation is building between the two of us as we tell each other that we cannot wait to see each other. Today though is all about finding that perfect Christmas tree. For as far back as I can remember we have always had a real tree for Christmas. Usually the task of searching for that certain special tree falls upon my brother and my father. But since Tim is still in Iraq my mother informs me that it is now my responsibility to help my father and our quest for that certain special Christmas tree. With my mother waking me up at promptly 6 a.m. because she has breakfast on the table and my father is finishing with the loading of the pick up truck with the supplies we need to take on the forest to find our tree. We have about two hundred acres of land on our farm here in Boston with about ninety percent of it covered in several different kinds of pine trees. I fill two thermos's full of coffee after eating my delicious breakfast then my father and I kiss my mama goodbye and make our way out into the cold and snowy winter morning. My father drives back into the woods as far as he can without getting stuck and looks at me and asks "Ready for a walk, baby girl"? I smile at my dad and say "With you, I would go anywhere". We leave the comfort of the warm pick up truck and I place the backpack over my shoulders while my father grabs both chain saws and I grab the axe.

My father and I walk for about a mile when we spot the same tree just sitting there all by itself. I smile and nod to my dad as we begin the task of chopping down this tree. Not exactly sure what my job is supposed to be so I just stand off to the side while my father makes the first few cuts as I untangle the rope that we brought. Then I watch my father tie off the top of the tree we are cutting down to the bottom of a nearby tree as he explains to me what he is doing. With the final three cuts being made with the chain saw, my father and I watch the tree fall forwards toward the other tree and onto the snowy ground below. Then both my father and I tie off the tree by wrapping the rope around the tree so we may transport it easier back to the pick up. My father shows me how to take the axe that we brought and chip away at the base of the tree so that it will fit correctly in the tree stand. Then we take a seat on the trunk of the fallen tree and enjoy our coffee and have a conversation before we head back. Times like this, with my parents, are what I am going to miss the most when I fly back to Baltimore. Even though they are just a phone call away, I am still going to miss times like today.

The rest of the day is consumed with positioning the Christmas tree just right in the family room along with the decorating of the tree. After spending the whole day with my parents, I am now sitting in a hot bubble bath relaxing my sore muscles after dragging that darn tree for a mile and then picking it up to put in the truck and again to bring it into the house. My mama knocks on my bathroom door to see if I am alright. I tell her that I am fine and she says she has brought up my laundry. I tell her thank you and go back to relaxing in my bubble bath. I doze off for a little while as I am awoken by the sound of my mama talking to someone but I do not hear another voice during her discussion. I quickly pull the plug in the tub as I rinse myself off and wrap my body inside my robe and make my way out to my bedroom. I find my mother sitting on my bed as she is in a deep dialogue with someone on my cell phone. When I clear my throat I startle my mama a bit as I hear her say "Oh Callie, Arizona has just finished her bath. I will give her the phone now and you have a good night. I hope to talk to you again real soon". My mama hands me my phone as I quietly ask to her "Mama, what are you doing"? My mama smiles back at me with her dimples all aglow and says "Well baby girl, I called out for you when your phone rang but you did not answer me. When I saw it was Callie I just answered it".

My mother leaves my room to give me some privacy as I say "Hello" into my phone. I hear the sweet voice of my friend as she says to me "Arizona, you mother is a hoot. I cannot wait to meet her in person. She's such a delight". I chuckle a little as I say to my friend "Calliope, thank you for your compliments about my mama but I am sure that you did not call me to talk about my mama". That is when my friend says "You are right my dear, I called to talk to you. How are you doing? Are you still sore? Wish I was there to massage your tired and aching muscles". I lay on top of my blankets that are on my bed while I talk to my friend still in my robe. I tell her about my adventure today with my father and the decorating of our tree. Calliope talks about how the "TorresMansion" is completely decked out with Christmas decorations as she says it kind of reminds her of the movie Christmas Vacation house with all the lights illuminating the whole neighborhood. We laugh about things that we have done and experienced over the last few days as my friend tells me that she is trying to get some shut eye during her forty eight hour shift that ends at noon tomorrow. I try to tell her that I will call her tomorrow evening so she can go back to sleep for a few hours. But she has other plans as she asks me for a favor…as my friend asks me a very provocative and sexual question…and I am lying here in my bed naked under my robe all alone thinking about answering her very…very stimulating question.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

**DECEMBER 18, 2005…LATER THAT EVENING**

Since I came home over a month ago from Botswana and returned to my internship at the University of Miami Hospital I have not stopped thinking about my friend I met in Africa. The kiss we shared was so magical and breathtaking that all I have thought about for the last month is seeing her again.

I am lying on a single bed in an on call room at the hospital as I have every intention of trying to take a nap before my shift ends in about fifteen hours but instead of sleeping I am talking to my friend…my Arizona. Listening to her describe her long hot bath tonight after chopping down their family Christmas tree with her father makes my mind wander. My mind wanders back to Botswana when both Arizona and I shared a blanket and a kiss under the African moonlight.

When Arizona does not hear me respond quick enough to her question of if I am listening to her or not, I stutter and say "Yes…yes I am" and then she asks me what she just said and when I cannot answer her I hear her say "See I told you so". I laugh as I hear her ask me "Well if you are not listening to me…what are you thinking about"?

I say to her shyly "You really do not want to know" and she says confidently "What if I do…really want to know I mean". I stammer a little and say "I…I was…thinking about Africa". Then I hear her giggle again from over from the fifteen hundred or so miles away as she says to me jokingly "Not really where I thought you were going with this Calliope…but ok".

Then I begin to explain myself to her as I say "I was just thinking about how far we might have went if our friends hadn't interrupted us under that tree and after our first and only kiss that night in Africa. I guess what I am really asking you is Arizona how far you were willing to go if we had not been interrupted"? Then I hear an almost silent whisper of "Oh" come from my friend's mouth over the phone line as I have now wondered if I have went too far with our friendship.

I hear my friend ask me an almost inaudible question "Calliope, what are you wearing"? I swallow the lump in my throat that I did not even know was there as I say back to my friend "What…what Arizona". Then her beautiful angelic voice says to me "I know it has been four months since we last saw each other and I too have been thinking about that first kiss…our only kiss and what would have happened if we were not interrupted that evening. So, I know that you know that I am lying here in my bed completely naked under my robe…so I am asking you again Calliope, what are you wearing"?

This cannot be really happening…how does she know what I am thinking…this has to be a dream…this has to be a dream. Then I hear my friend's voice ask me again bringing me out of my mini rant to myself "Calliope, what are you wearing"?

"Oh I am…I am wearing my scrubs…Why"? Then Arizona says to me "Do you scrub bottoms have snaps or a drawstring"? I mutter through and answer my friend's question by saying "Draw…drawstrings". Arizona says with some purpose in her voice "Well alright then, Calliope. What do you say that you untie the drawstring to your scrub bottoms and I will untie my robe"?

I hesitantly say back to my friend "Are you sure about this Arizona. I have never done this before with anyone…man or woman…and I am hoping that you never have too". With a giggle coming through the phone line, a giggle that I am accustomed too by now, I hear my friend say "I too have never done this before Calliope…especially with a man because I do not care for the penis…but as the old saying goes…there's a first time for everything".

There are rules to this unspoken truth as I explain to my friend before we start. Rules that include a safe word…a safe word that both Calliope and I have to agree on…our safe word is baseball. It is a word that we both know a little something about and is not at all sexual in nature. So before we begin this little escapade…or what my friend likes to call what we are about to do…our first sexcapade…we have to agree on this safe word. Once this safe word is said, screamed, moaned or yelled…we have to stop…there is no exception to this rule. So with that in mind…my friend and I embark on something new and exciting in this venture together…that will hopefully bring the two of us closer and stronger.

Arizona is the first to say to me "Are you ready Calliope"? I take a deep breath as I am positive that she can hear my heartbeat through the phone as I stutter "Yes…Yes". Then my friend says "Alright how do you want to begin"? I say the first thing that comes to mind "Let's do whatever feels good".

A moment of silence is taken by both of us when I hear Arizona's soothing voice come over the phone line with a sexier tone than before as she says to me "Have you untied your scrubs yet Calliope"? I reach down and do what I am asked to do as I say to Arizona "Yes, I have done as you have asked…now how about you? Have you opened your robe to expose that gorgeous tight rock hard body of yours that I am remembering in my head right now"?

With a soft moan coming from my friend I can only assume that she has opened her robe tossing the excess fabric off of both sides of her body. Then I hear Arizona whisper "I am thinking about you tracing your fingertips from my face down across my neck as both of your hands encircle my breasts and you palm both of them at the same time while you lips and tongue concentrate on my lips and the inside of my mouth as you travel down my neck".

My breathing becomes more ragged as I listen to my friend and she continues to say "With your body hovering over mine as I feel our boobs graze each others and bringing all four of our nipples to nice hard buds. Then you move your mouth over my left breast first taking my nipple into your mouth swirling it with your flat tongue as you suck the life back into it while the palm of your left hand massages my right breast. Then once you have me moaning to your touch with me running my fingers through your hair you quickly kiss me hard then you move onto my left breast with the same enthusiasm and hunger that you enjoyed from my right one". My hand moves inside my scrub pants and into my panties as I listen to my friend while she describes what I am doing to her as I feel the moisture building between my own legs.

Arizona is gaining momentum with her storytelling to me as she says "Then with your hands still on both of my breasts as you are kneading and caressing them simultaneously your mouth travels down my body with you halting your progression at my navel. You glide your tongue painstakingly slow in and out of my navel while you suck in the skin around my belly button".

I enter two fingers inside me because I can no longer take the anticipation that is building inside my body with the thought of making mad passionate love to my friend. My fingers slide in easily as my thumb brushes my own clit and I hear myself moan into the phone while listening to my friend say "I lift my hips a little to encourage your movement further down my body and you react quickly knowing that I need you there. Your hands move from my breasts to the tops of my thighs caressing them and spreading them open wider for you to begin exploring and enjoying the beauty this is me".

I whisper "Arizona" at the thought of being this intimate with her as she whispers "Calliope" back to me. My fingers are being thrusted in and out of my body with my hips jerking about on this bunk bed as I feel my release coming. Arizona suddenly says very loudly "Calliope I am so close" and I decide to push her and me over the edge at the same time as I say to her "I gently stroke my tongue through your wet folds as I focus on sucking your clit in my mouth. I place three fingers inside you building up a rhythm of moving my fingers in and out of your pussy while my hips provide the extra friction as you scream my name in my ear".

I take a deep breath and continue talking to my friend as I say "Then I suddenly feel your fingers diving deep inside me as you are pumping them in and out of my pussy with such fury that we both find each others G spot at exactly the same time and scream each others name as we both come together. Then we both take away our fingers out from one another we place them over our lips as our greedy mouths suck all of our juices off our fingers".

That is when both Arizona and I scream each others name back into the phone with our breathing becoming raspier. Then it happens…both our fingers and hands become soaked with our own juices…as we release our built up tension. The air between the phone lines that we are sharing at this moment is filled with a deafening silence except for the regulation of our breathing.

"Wow" I say as I slide my fingers out of me and fall softly back on to the bed when I hear Arizona say from the other side of my phone "Yea…wow is right". While I try to gasp for some more air from the darkness of this empty room I say to my friend "How are you Arizona…are you alright"?

Waiting for only a moment or two before my friend says "Wow Calliope indeed…that was fan…frickin…tastic. Are you sure you never done that before because the way you finished both of us off…was wow…unbelievable". I laugh a little and say "No mi'lady, I have never have done that before". Then I hesitate for a split second but then I think "what the heck" when I say to Arizona "Y'know, once we see each other again…are we going to be able to look at each other in the eye…after what we have just done tonight"?

While I wait for her to answer I feel that my friend hears the uncertainty in my voice but then I hear her say something I never expected. "I knew that when we started this little adventure that it would be different between us. But I never thought that I could feel anything other than friendship for you until tonight. In eleven days, I will see your smiling face when I exit the plane in Miami and everything we feel for each other will be shown in our eyes. At this time in our lives I do not want to say "I love you" just because of what we have just shared…but someday I will tell you…when the time is right for the two of us…I will tell you that I love you".

Silence fills the air between Calliope and me as I think I have said too much. Then out of the blue I hear my friend crying over the phone and I say with trepidation in my voice "Cal…Calliope, please talk to me? Tell me what you are feeling? I'm sorry if I said something wrong but I have always wanted to honest with you. Please Calliope, please". I beg for her to say something…anything…and then I hear her crying slow down and her breathing begin to regulate as she whispers my name "Arizona".

I lay back further in my bed wrapping myself back up in my robe and I smile knowing that she is alright and is ready to talk. I hear her take a deep breath and say "Arizona, I am so glad you feel the way you do about this relationship we are both venturing into because I too would like to say I love you to you someday. I enjoy everything about you and cannot wait for us to see each other in eleven days. I am sorry that I cried earlier but I was just so moved by what you said and now you think I am a crier".

I laugh out loud as I cover my mouth with my hand but it is too late because Calliope hears my laugh and says "Arizona". I discontinue with my laughing instantly when I hear the sadness in my friend's voice as I quickly say "Calliope, I do not think that you are a crier…you are passionate and you let that passion over flow onto your feelings and that is just one of the many things I like about you".

Calliope and I talk for the next hour or so with our conversations filled with light and playful banter. We talk about our lives since we arrived back home from Africa and about our friends and relatives. Calliope tells me what to expect with her family when I come to Miami as I lie here in my bed and listen to how much my own family dynamic differs from my friend's home life.

With the clock on the wall outside my bedroom door chiming softly three times I realize that it is three in the morning. When Calliope finishes her end of our conversation I delicately and regretfully say now to my very close friend "Calliope, it's after three in the morning and you have yet to take a nap. I do not want to end this call but you need to get some sleep. You can call me when your shift ends or later in the evening. But right now you need your sleep".

I hear a soft "Hmmm" that is when I know that my friend is falling asleep while I am talking to her so I do the one thing that I know that will help her take her nap. I sing one of my favorite songs to her by the Dixie Chicks and when I finish the first set of lines "I said I wanna to touch the earth…I wanna to break it in my hands…I wanna grow something wild and unruly" then I hear my friend say "Goodnight Arizona" as I continue to sing "I wanna sleep on the hard ground…in the comfort of your arms…on a pillow of bluebonnets…in a blanket made of stars". By the time I complete that last line of my special lullaby to my dear friend I hear her snoring ever so soundly. That is when I whisper "Good night my friend and sweet dreams" and end our call.

Over the next six days Calliope and I talk every night and we even share the phone sex talk two more times. We talk about our families getting ready for the Christmas holiday even though my voice sounds a little sad knowing that my brother won't be home for Christmas again this year. But I tell my friend that my parents and I are making the best of this bad situation and are not dwelling on what we cannot change.

When Calliope and I end our call this morning I think to myself that we all knew when Tim signed up for the Marines that not seeing him during the holidays was going to be a big adjustment. With my mama telling me on this morning, on this Christmas Eve morning, "We all miss Timothy to pieces but at least we have each other". My mama bends down to kiss my forehead as she tells me that breakfast will be ready in about fifteen minutes.

I hold her over me for a moment longer and kiss her cheek as I tell her I love her and then she smiles that full fledged dimpled smile back at me that I wear also and says "Oh baby girl, I love you too". When my mama leaves my room I dash out of bed to use the bathroom and brush my teeth. Practically flying down the stairs to have breakfast with my parents and do some last minute Christmas shopping, I notice my dad placing a piece of wood into the fire in the fireplace just as my mama calls us both to the table. I hear the doorbell ring and I shout to the two of them "I'll get it".

I walk across the living room to answer the front door but halfway there I notice a dark Ford Crown Victoria car, with the seal of the United States Marine Corp on its front door, in our driveway and a woman dressed in a Marine's uniform slowly walking up the walk to our front door. I glance out the window that is at the top of our front door when I see another person already standing at the door because all I see is the distinguished white cap with the United States Marine Corp emblem on the front. Due to the placement of the window at the top of the door you cannot see the face of the person standing there and my first thought is that it is Tim.

But then I remember how my father talked about his father and how, on December 10, 1941, two United States Marine Corp officers parked their government issued car in my grandparents driveway and knocked on their front door. Both men came inside my father's boyhood home to tell his mother that his father was killed at the bombing of the U.S.S. Arizona at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941 by the Japanese but before my grandfather drowned he saved the lives of nineteen men. I stand frozen in my spot halfway to the front door and cannot move a muscle thinking about that story.

My father sees me just standing there as he too notices the white Marine Corp cap through the front door window. I hear him softly say "Barbara" then I hear my mother's footsteps across the kitchen's hardwood floor coming closer to me and my father and she whispers out loud "No…no…not Timothy". Then I watch my father walk past me squeezing my shoulder with his big ham of a hand on his way and then I feel my mother's arms swarming me up and I hold onto her as tight as I can.

My father opens the door and now my mother and I begin to cry in each others arms. After a brief conversation with the two people on our front porch, my father invites the man and the woman into our home but then my mother and I become aware of a third person, another man, enter our home at the same time. This man has a bandaged arm as his shoulder and arm are encased in a plaster cast. Then before we can even look up at this man's face my mother and I hear the sweet sounding voice that we have missed over the last two years as we both hear my brother say "Mama…Arizona". My father smile says it all as my mother and I run into my brother Tim's other open arm and smother him in a good old fashioned Robbins bear hug.

Tim's two friends, Joanne and Seth, bring him home from the airport because the three of them were just released from the hospital in DusseldorfGermany three days earlier. They were in the Dusseldorf hospital for the last two weeks after suffering from the aftermath of an IED, improvised explosion device, explosion along the roadside outside of BaghdadIraq.

My mother and I look strangely at each other as we listen to my brother explain the situation he and his friends had encountered. Our mother stands to face our father as she says tearfully "Daniel" and my father moves slowly towards my mother and I. My father, this grand stature of a man, stands within two feet of my mama and me and begins to tell the two of us about my brother's ordeal that he has known about all along.

After listening to all the reasons why my father did not tell my mother and I what was going on with my brother in that God forsaken country, my father reaches for both my mama's and my hand as we both pull away from his attempt to console the two of us. With my mother beginning to walk away from my father but not before saying "You knew about this…about all of this…and you did not think to even tell me about what was going on…how could you Daniel…after all I went through…all we went through…when you were a POW in Vietnam. How could you possibly do this to me again"?

But before my mama and I could walk out of the room my brother says quickly "Mama… Arizona please, do not walk away. This is not dad's fault…it is mine. I asked him not to tell you or Arizona about the explosion. I did not want you both to worry about me. I was not even sure of my injuries when I talked with dad two weeks ago. Then when Teddy and Owen gave the three of us our clean bills of health two days ago I did not want dad to tell either of you about that too because I wanted to come home and surprise you myself. I love you both so much and I could not let this Christmas season go by with news of my injuries and the two of you possibly thinking the worst. Please understand I was only trying to think of the best way to get through this without you both worrying about me".

I stare at my brother with tears streaming down my face and I see what this situation…this war has done to him. He is not the same man who left the three of us two years ago. So I put my opinions and differences aside for now as I lead my mama back to the table and place her in her seat at the end of the table. Then I tell my father and my brother and our guests to have a seat as I serve them all breakfast.

My mother is being uncharacteristically quiet while my father and my brother and our guests and I engage in different conversations as we all eat our breakfast. I am sitting next to my brother's friend Joanne as we talk about why she joined the Marines and why I am becoming a pediatric surgeon. I come to find out that Joanne is from a town just outside of Baltimore by less than an hour. She is from the city of AnnapolisMaryland. And as she tells me her story, she comes from a family with a long line of naval officers and that's why she joined to Marines…she wanted to be different and not become the person her family expected her to be.

Joanne, Seth and Tim help me clear off the table of the breakfast dishes while my father and mother leave our presence to have a talk in the study. The four of us try not to listen as we hear my mother shouting at my father and that is when I suggest to Tim that we all four take a walk. Tim and I travel with our two guests outside in the cold Boston winter because we want to show Joanne and Seth the greatest baseball park in these United States and Canada. My parent's home is a fifteen minute walk from FenwayPark…home of the Boston Red Sox.

Both Tim and I take turns telling Joanne and Seth about the rich history of FenwayPark while walking around the massive ballpark. Then I notice that both of our guests are feeling the wrath of another ole Massachusetts nor'easter winter storm brewing when I make the suggestion to my brother that we all head back home. Walking back up our driveway and stopping at the government issued Crown Vic, Tim and I say our goodbyes to Joanne and Seth because they need to head back to Boston's Logan International airport to catch their connecting flights to their homes.

Joanne's traveling to Baltimore and Seth is headed to DallasTexas as they both want to surprise their families before Christmas arrives. Hugging both Seth and Joanne and thanking them for escorting my brother home safely, Joanne slips me her card with her Baltimore home and cell phone numbers on the back as she kisses my cheek and tells me that it was great to finally meet me and to call her when I arrive back in Baltimore next year. I hug her again and whisper in her ear that I will do just that as soon as I land.

Tim and I watch his friends leave as he holds me tight and says "Hey you, how about taking me to do some Christmas shopping"? My brother and I walk back into our family home and see that our parents have finished their conversation. Tim and I inform both of our parents that I am taking him shopping as we hear our mama say "That's fine dear but could you both pick up these items for dinner so I do not have to go out in the snow". Tim walks over to our mama and gives her a big bear hug as I watch her cry in his arms.

With our father nowhere to be found, I walk over and take the grocery list out of my mama's hand and tell her "Yea mama, we got this and if you can think of anything else you need call our cell phones". Then I wrap my mama up in my arms and whisper in her ear "You gonna be alright while we're gone"? Wiping her tears away on a tissue that I hand her as she smiles that gorgeous dimpled smile back at me and softly says "I will be fine baby girl…now off with you both and drive safely and hurry back". My brother and I each place one last kiss on our mama's cheek as I hear Tim say "Just call us if you need anything mama" as we both leave her sight.

During the shopping spree for the next several hours, my sister and I talk about our lives and where we are both headed in our careers. I tell Arizona that once my shoulder heals and I get a clean bill of health from the VA office and my release from the United States Marine Corp that I am planning on traveling to Seattle. I want to take my friend Owen up on his offer and work at SeattleGraceHospital. My plans are that I will be staying in Boston for about another five weeks and then fly to Seattle.

Owen said I could start work by February 1, 2006 so I will live in our home in Seattle. My sister just shakes her head when I tell her that she can join me on this journey too. But she has other plans of her own as she lets me know that she will finish her residency at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Then she when she has completed her residency she will seek other employment elsewhere, maybe in Seattle, but that won't be happening for about another three years. Right now her focus is on working with Dr. Norman McHale and the African Children's Program that has been created by the Carter Madison Foundation. Because for the next three years she and Dr. McHale will be traveling back and forth from the Baltimore to Malawi to help set up more hospitals and help the children of Malawi.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR…DECEMBER 30, 2005…TRAVELING TO VISIT MY FRIEND CALLIOPE TORRES**

Grabbing my carry on suitcase from the overhead compartment as I tuck my Boston Red Sox sweatshirt in my small piece of luggage, I straighten up the wrinkles out of my blue sun dress. I walk confidently down the jet way with my lips smiling the biggest smile I can and with my dimples all aglow as I make my way out of the closed door ahead of me and to the visitors at the gate number 24 at Miami Dade International airport. Carefully looking around to find my friend but then I see a man in a black suit and chauffer's hat standing there all alone with a sign that reads "Dr. Arizona Robbins". I walk up to this man and introduce myself as I say "Hello I am Dr. Robbins". The man says "Good afternoon Dr. Robbins" then the man quickly takes my picture with his camera phone. I ask him "What…What are you doing" and he answers me by saying "Miss Callie wanted me to take your picture upon your arrival. Now I am sending the picture to her at her request and oh…my apologies…my name is Christopher and I will be your chauffer for the day".

Then Christopher holds out his hand for me to address as I place my hand in his and he shakes both of our hands together vigorously. Christopher takes a hold of my luggage and then says "Miss Callie apologizes for not being here herself but she says that you would understand…the life of a surgeon and all". I smile to the man that has come to take me to see my friend because I do know what she means. The life of a surgeon, especially one who is finishing her internship and heading for the next three years to complete her residency, is not someone you can pin point down. More often than not they just fly by the seat of their pants and hope their family and friends will understand. I ask my chauffer for the day "Where are we going to now"? His reply to me is "Ever been to Miami" and when I shake my head no he just laughs and says to me "You'll see".

Gazing out the window of the limo looking at all the sights and sounds of Miami I hear the sun roof open and then I hear Christopher say "Stand up and take a look outside" when he pulls to a stop. I stand on the seat and push my upper body through the overhead window as I do a 360 degree turn taking in all that is Miami. When I feel the car move again I retreat back inside the vehicle and take a seat. But before I sit down I hear Christopher softly say "Nice" with a smile on his face and I say to him "Thank you" because I know that he was referring to my backside. Then I say "But you had better watch yourself in front of Miss Callie" as he smirkingly says "Yea, you can bet I won't make that mistake again…I love my job way to much to do something so stupid like that again".

I furrow my brow at my chauffer thinking he has done this act before when I see Christopher say rather quickly, silently knowing what's on my mind "No…No…it was not Miss Callie that said that to me…it was Lu…Mrs. Torres…that reprimanded me. She caught me looking at Miss Aria one day that way and saying that exact same thing that I just said to you. And when she did…Mrs. Torres told me, in no uncertain terms, that if I wanted to keep my job and my eyesight that I better mind my manners and not say those kinds of things about her daughters". My chauffer apologizes profusely to me for his actions several times as we make our way through the city of Miami…and to my friend Calliope.

Upon arriving at the front entrance of The Torres Hotel, a not so tall gentleman named Javier promptly makes his presence known as he opens my door to the limo and holds out his hand for me to take. Helping me out of the limousine, Javier begins to say his spheal to me that includes him saying "It is with my great pleasure to meet you Dr. Robbins and I would like to invite you inside the world renowned Torres Hotel. Inside you will enjoy all the amenities of our hotel staff as we will be at your beck and call throughout your stay here in the greatest city in the would that is Miami".

Javier stands at the end of the limo as he takes my luggage out of the trunk. I stand and wait for him to escort me inside when I hear him say professionally "Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Torres and what a pleasure it is to see you both again, sir…ma'am". I turn on my heels to come face to face with Calliope's parents…Carlos and Lucia Torres. I extend my hand to them both but it is Calliope's father that walks to me and embraces me with a hug as I hear him say "My dear Dr. Robbins, in this family…we hug". I smile at his gesture but it is Mrs. Torres that takes my hand in hers and says "It is a pleasure to finally meet you Dr. Robbins…our Callie has not talked about anything else but about you since she has come home from Africa".

I release my warm soft hand from Mrs. Torres's cold lifeless one as I say to her "It is my pleasure to meet you both. And thank you both for your hospitality for the use of your hotel for my stay in Miami". With the pleasantries out of the way, Carlos Torres stretches his arms outward for his wife and me to slide our arms inside of his as he says "Let my wife and I show you to your room". The three of us enter the elevator, continuing with some selected small talk, as we all ride up to the top floor of this magnificent hotel. Walking down a long hallway, still with my arm looped inside of Calliope's father's arm, we turn the corner and see Javier standing in front of two massive doors.

Javier opens both doors at the same time as he enters the suite first followed by the three of us. Javier politely hands me my key cards for the hotel suite as he asks "Is there anything else you can think of that you need right at this moment Dr. Robbins"? I smile my mother's sweet southern smile back at this adorable gentleman in his handsome uniform and say "No sir Javier, you have been so attentive and wonderful and I hope to see you again real soon". Javier kisses the back of my hand then tells me to just pick up my suite phone to call on his services anytime day or night as he bids a "Good day" to his employers.

After Javier places my two pieces of luggage on the stand next to the dresser of drawers and makes his way out of the suite, Calliope's father goes into "describing every inch of the suite" mode while his wife sits on the plush white sofa and listens to him speak. The three of us hear some soft jazz music coming from inside the bathroom as Carlos says "I am so sorry Dr. Robbins, the staff…my staff should not have left that music playing". I watch him walk towards the room where the music is coming from and quickly say "It is alright Mr. Torres, it's kind of relaxing and since I have been up since six this morning maybe it will help me take a nap. So please leave the music turned on".

I walk to place my body in between his and the bathroom door as I hear him say "As you wish Dr. Robbins". Then I see Mrs. Torres stand as if she is ready to leave and I say "Since I am here for the next few days why don't you say we call each other by our first names". I hold my hand out to the two of them and say "Hello it is so nice to meet you both. My name is Arizona Robbins". Mr. Torres says without even thinking twice about what I have just said as he says to me "What a lovely idea Arizona and you may call me Carlos" and he shakes my hand without any hesitation. Although Mrs. Torres has other ideas about my suggestion but when she sees her husband's smile and the light in his eyes she keeps her ideas to herself and takes my hand back in hers and gives my hand a soft squeeze and says "It is a pleasure to meet you too Arizona and you may call me Lucia".

Seeing both of Calliope's parents out the door of the hotel suite, I promise to have dinner with them tonight promptly at 8 p.m. downstairs in the hotel restaurant. I find a cart full of chocolate dipped strawberries with some cheese and crackers and some fruit along with a chilled bottle of champagne and a hand written card from Javier stating that "If there is anything you and Ms Torres need during your stay with us please do not hesitate to ask". I bring the cart full of food into the room and place in the center of the living room. Then I begin the task of distributing my clothes from my luggage and into the dresser drawers and the closet. Noticing that the volume of the music that the three of us heard before seemingly becoming louder I decide to investigate.

Walking into the most beautiful and spacious bathroom I have ever encountered in my lifetime, lightly being lit by the soft ambiance of scented candles, I stand with my mouth gaping open in disbelief as I see my gorgeous friend…my Calliope…sitting in a bath full of bubbles. All I can think to say to her is "You're…Calliope you're" as my very magnificent stunning friend finishes my thought by saying "Naked and waiting for you". I toe off my sandals and make the short walk to the side of the tub as I first dip my left foot in testing the water before I place my right foot in and stand in front of my friend.

Calliope sits up a little straighter and slowly traces her hands from the backs of my calves and up both the insides and outsides of my thighs as she holds my dress above the water's edge and says "Arizona, your dress". With Calliope's hands still on my thighs, I take a hold of the hem of my sun dress and slowly draw my dress up my thighs as I hear my friend's breathing begin to hitch a little as I watch her face now staring at my center. Once I bring my sun dress up my body to where my panties should be I smile as I hear Calliope say "Oh Arizona you didn't". I say to my friend…my gorgeous friend with benefits "Oh yes I did Calliope" and my friend sees that I am going "commando" just for her today.

With the sound of a large intake of air into Calliope's lungs as her hands now trace across my thighs through the outside of my very hot and wet center to around the back of my body as she cups my rock hard ass in her strong and skillful ortho hands. Once my sun dress has been taken off my body and thrown haphazardly across this very roomy bathroom, I feel Calliope's warm breath against my skin and feel her feathery kisses just below my navel and just above where I need her so desperately to be. With a silent encouragement of placing my hand through her raven hair and stopping at the back of my friend's head I hear Calliope whisper "Oh Arizona" as I gently nudge her face forward.

I feel Calliope…my Calliope…spread open my thighs with the palms of her hands as both of her thumbs broaden the lips of my pussy open. I remove my hand from my friend's hair because I feel that she knows just what to do as I place both of my hands now on each side of the deep…deep bear claw tub for support and I lower my body just a little to help Calliope in her quest to have her way with me. Within a matter of seconds I feel Calliope's mouth encircle my clit sucking the life back into me and then three of her fingers go deep inside of me. Obscenities and the sexual moaning and the screaming of Calliope's name over and over can be heard from the echo inside this enormous bathroom as I am riding my friend's face and she is bringing me to the brink of an orgasm. My friend frantically pulls her face from inside of me and I hear her scream at the top of her lungs "Come for me, baby…right now dammit…Come for me Arizona" and I do…I come so hard…so hard…all over her face and hand and even as my juices flow down her chest.

With my friend cleaning her conquest of me with her tongue, it is the tip of that very same tongue that sends me into several aftershocks as my Calliope carefully and painstakingly slowly drags her tongue over my clit one last time. Catching me before I slip and fall onto her body, Calliope directs my mouth over hers as she kisses me passionately and deeply sending both me and her underneath the bubble bath water's edge. Turning our bodies 180 degrees beneath the water, I come up to find me leaning back against the end of this colossal tub and my friend lying on top of my body.

Calliope continues to kiss me deeply as I taste myself on her tongue and I relish the taste of my friend's tongue and this special moment we are sharing together. Taking a breather to intake some much needed oxygen back into our bodies I am the first to stroke my friend's hair out of her face as I say to her "Hey there you". Calliope dark brown Latin eyes gaze into my ocean blue ones as she sensitively whispers "Well my dear, so was our first time together all that you ever dreamed that it would be"? As I smile at my friend and kiss the tip of her nose as I say back to her in a whisper "Yes it was and so much more".

Calliope and I playfully kiss each other back and forth but when my friend and I realize that the water in our bubble bath is becoming lukewarm at best, Calliope curls her toes on her right foot to pull the handle down to begin to drain the water out of the tub. Then she asks me "Would you like to move this party to the shower and rinse our bodies off" and when I tell her "Yes I would" but then before we move a muscle to leave the nice big tub my fingers slowly glide down the wet sides of my friend's body as her body begins to produce goose bumps along the path I have chosen.

Leaning my body up a little forward I capture Calliope's lips in my own as she moans into my mouth. Kissing my friend this sensually and hearing her moan into my mouth I bring my right hand up her thigh as I place the heel of my palm onto her mound and my fingers gradually widen the lips of her pussy and travel inside her and I hear her moan my name "Arizona" in my ear. Sliding down the backside of this gigantic bathtub until my mouth finds Calliope's left breast with my mouth as my left hand palms her right one. While my mouth and left palm are sucking and massaging my friend's breasts my right hand and fingers are building a rhythm inside my Calliope as I hear her begin to scream my name along with some other choice Spanish phrases and her breathing becomes more labored. Then when Calliope arches her back away from my face and her breast pops out of my mouth I react quickly and remove my fingers from deep inside her and place my hand on her breast.

Then I slide my body further down into the bottom of the tub as my mouth latches onto her clit and I send my tongue deep inside my Calliope. This change of plans sends my friend into a tizzy as she screams at the top of her lungs "Oh Arizona, my god what are you doing to me". Without me having to answer her question my friend comes rather quickly all over my face. With the water completely drained out of the tub and the energy completely drained from both of our bodies, Calliope slips down my body to rest her body in my lap as she is trying to catch her breath when I say to my friend "Is this all you ever dreamed of too, Calliope"?

After our first round of having sex in the mammoth bear clawed bathtub, Arizona and I make our way to the shower to rinse off the bubble bath soap and have another go around of shower sex. Then we wrap ourselves in these two fluffy white robes courtesy of The Torres Hotel and make our way out into the suite. Sitting on the foot of the king sized bed, Arizona and I both enjoy the food that Javier has prepared for us earlier. Picking up my phone I make a call as I hear Javier voice ask "How may I help you Dr. Robbins"? I say to my other new friend "Thank you Javier for the cart full of food. It has now come in very handy" as I kiss Calliope on the lips and then go back to talking to Javier. I say to him "I would like to ask you for a favor kind sir" and Javier says "Anything my dear".

Then I ask him "Could you please call me on this phone at exactly six p.m. to make sure that I am awake? You see I have this wonderful dinner date tonight with my friend Dr. Torres and her parents and I want plenty of time to get ready so I may look my best" and then I hear Javier says back to me "It would be my pleasure Dr. Robbins. I will call you at exactly six p.m. Have a wonderful nap and tell Dr. Torres I said hello". I have tilted the phone to let my friend hear my conversation with Javier when Calliope says to her friend too "Hello Javier, how are Sara and the children"? Javier says to Calliope "They're all wonderful and thank you again for taking care of our little one when she broke her wrist. The pink cast you put on her is the talk of her first grade class and she cannot stop talking about her friend Dr. Callie". My friend just smiles into the phone as she tells Javier "Well I will see you all after the first of the year to remove that pretty pink cast. You take care my friend and may you and your family have a safe and very Happy New Year". Javier finishes the call by saying "You too, Ms. Callie…and you too, Dr. Robbins".

Arizona and I continue with our consuming of our afternoon meal but when Arizona takes a bite of a chocolate covered strawberry and the juice from that little piece of fruit begins to trickle down her chin and onto her neck my mind begins to wander. Then when Arizona takes a sip of her champagne and a little of it too begins to take the same path as the strawberry juice I can no longer contain myself as I toss her upper body back onto this king size bed throwing open her robe in the process and having my way with her as I start at her neck kissing and sucking the juices off of it.

Then I feel my friend untie and open my robe as now our naked bodies are crashing into each others. With Arizona and I bringing each other to a few more explosive orgasms in this king sized bed, we finally fall, panting and sweating, into each others arms and drift off holding each other close for some much needed sleep. But when Arizona's phone begins to ring at the head of the bed it is I who notices that I am the only one in this giant bed all by myself. I grab Arizona's phone as I see it is Javier calling as I say to him "Javier, thanks for calling and waking us both up. You are a gem my friend" and I hear him laugh a little and say "It is my pleasure Ms. Callie…now don't keep that pretty lady waiting". I smile to myself at his connotation of my friend as I bid him a fond goodnight.

I push off the fluff and plush robes that adorn my body and make my way across the suite to find my friend coming out of the bathroom dressed in only a bath towel as I see she has taken another shower. I frown a bit at missing another chance to shower with Arizona when I hear her say "Don't do that. Do not make that face at me Calliope. We have less than two hours to get ourselves presentable for dinner tonight with your parents. So…you cannot make that sad face at me. Because you know as well as I do that if I waited for you to wake up and we showered together…we would never make it out of this room and on time for dinner. So turn that frown upside down and show me that beautiful smile of yours or I will not make it though this evening".

With my naked body standing only inches away from my friend's toweled covered body I lean forward a bit and kiss my friend's pouty lips and show her my infamous Torres smile as I kiss her neck and hear her giggle out loud. No matter what kind of bath soaps or body washes The Torres Hotel present to our guests, it does not cover the faint smell of strawberry juice and champagne that I still smell on my friend's neck as I kiss her again. Then I leave her sight to make my way into the bathroom to get ready for our dinner tonight as I hear my friend say with a little displeasure in her voice "Mean Calliope…just plain mean" and I smile again.

Arizona and I arrive punctually at 8 p.m. as the maitre de escorts the two of us to my parents table. Already seated at the table are both of my parents along with my sister Aria and her fiancé Ramon. Arizona pulls out my chair for me as I take a seat and introduce my friend to my sister and her fiancé. With my father asking Arizona about the wine selection, he orders the wine for dinner tonight to the waiter. Dinner is flowing smoothly and the conversations are being shared by everyone.

Then I notice a puzzled look on Arizona's face as Ramon and I have slight argument during the course of our dinner. I brush off her look as I place my hand on her thigh underneath the table and caress her flesh as I give it a small squeeze. Then before we order dessert, my father leaves the table to see about an urgent matter at the front desk and my mother excuses herself to take an important phone call. It is not until both Aria and Arizona excuses themselves to use the ladies room that I find myself sitting at this dinner table alone with Ramon. Then the slight argument that we had earlier begins to escalate.

Walking back to the dinner table that I have shared for the last two hours with Calliope and her family I hear her shouting in Spanish to her sister's fiancé and he equally shouting back to her as neither one of them notice me. When the waiter clears his throat and I retake my seat next to my friend both Calliope and Ramon discontinue their shouting at each other. Calliope takes my hand in hers and whispers in my ear "I am so sorry Arizona and we can talk about this later if you really want too".

I smile back at my friend as I whisper in her ear "There is not need to apologize Calliope. What you do, or did in this case, in your life before we met and even after we've met is none of my concern. You are my friend and nothing more". I sense the look of shock on my friend's face after what I have just said to her but I am right…we are not a couple…we are not in a relationship…we are friends with benefits…and nothing more…so I really do not care that she slept with Ramon before we met. But I think she does need to tell her sister before she marries Ramon…because I think Aria has not a clue.

**A/N…Thought maybe all the readers out in FF land could use some quality Calzona lady loving time after tonight's episode since we are not getting to enjoy any their lady loving on Grey's Anatomy anytime soon between these two women. Not quite sure what to make of where the Grey's writers are heading with our favorite couple…but Papa Torres arrives in a few weeks so let's hope things will change soon…very…very…soon. Not really feeling the Leah/Arizona pairing…but the jealousy Leah showed tonight was kind of cute. Arizona texting her at the end…not so cute…but we'll see. **


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE…DECEMBER 31, 2005…THE ANNUAL TORRES NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY**

A soft knock is heard on my suite door as I make my way to open it and try my best not to disturb my friend because she is still sleeping after the rough night we both had last night. I am already showered and dressed for the day when I open the door to greet my friend Javier. I place my index finger over my lips to signal to him that he needs to be quiet as I point to the sleeping beauty that is my Calliope. Javier guides the cart full of breakfast items that I have ordered this morning out onto the veranda as we both place these items on the table I have prepared.

With the smell of fresh coffee in the air Javier and I both hear Calliope call out my name and then I realize I need to scurry Javier out of my suite because my friend with benefits sometimes has a tendency to stroll around naked. Just as close the door behind Javier I see that my thought process was correct as Calliope meets me back in the center of my suite with not a stitch of clothing on and as naked as the day she was born. I offer my friend a passionate kiss that includes a lot of tongue and me sliding my hands up and down her naked body along with a glass of champagne and orange juice or as she likes to call it…a mimosa.

Placing a thinly veiled night gown over my body I make my way back out to the veranda where my very thoughtful friend has ordered some breakfast this morning. Placing another kiss on Arizona's sweet pink lips I take my seat opposite her at the table. Our conversation begins with our plans for the day as I intend on showing my friend a very good time here in Miami today. Then with our talk drifting back to last night and the events that occurred after our dinner with my parents I say to Arizona "I probably should check my phone to see if Aria or my parents have called this morning".

Arizona just sighs and says "Yea that would probably be a good idea honey. At least just to make sure that our sister is alright". I scoot my chair backwards a little and walk back into the suite to find my phone. When I reach the table again with Arizona I tell her "Well there are three messages on my phone. Two from Aria and the third one is from my parents". Arizona gently pushes her empty breakfast plate away from her as she says to me "Well my dear friend, I guess it is time to bite the bullet as they say and face the music". I feel my friend is right as I lay my phone on the table before me and push play.

"Calliope Iphigenia Torres you are my sister and I still love you even though we have done some cruel and unusual things to one another over the years I think that what you have done to me tonight is the icing on the cake. I am going to take today and this afternoon to cool off so you will be in charge of helping our mother with all the preparations for tonight's party when she calls you this morning. Good luck with that by the way" as Arizona and I hear my sister chuckle a bit at the thought of me having to help our mother this morning.

Then my sister continues "And tell Arizona thank you for calling me a cab last night so I did not drive myself home drunk. Hey sis, maybe I should sleep with Arizona so I can say that we are even now. Do you think she would sleep with me"? When the call ends I hear my friend laugh out loud at my sister's suggestion of sleeping with her for revenge as I gasp a breath of air and say to Arizona "You would never truly do that to me…would you Arizona"?

The next voice mail message is yet again from my sister as this one was recorded this morning and the first one was recorded last night while Aria was still drunk. This message says "Callie, this is your sister and now that I have sobered up a bit I just want to thank you for sleeping with Ramon first". With a confused as hell looks on both Arizona's and my faces, we continue to listen to my only sister's message as she says "The reason that I am thanking you today is because that I have come to the realization that I truly never loved Ramon. This arrangement between the two of us was mostly due to our mother's idea because she is the one who set Ramon and me up in the first place. I also want you to know that I am very sorry for slapping you last night. I hope your jaw is fine and don't worry I was not serious about you helping out our mother today because I know that your day is already planned out with Arizona. Hope you both have a lovely day and I will see you tonight. I love you Callie and I am truly sorry about the slap…I hope you forgive me and …I love you".

When the second message ends I see Arizona sitting across the breakfast table from me with a smirk spreading across her face and I ask "What"? My friend says to me "I'm guessing in the light of day this morning after the night we all shared last night that your sister Aria completely forgot about her talking about plotting her revenge against you by using me". I now have the same confused look on my face as I did when we both heard my sister's first voice message. Did Arizona want to sleep with my sister?

Without saying another word as I read the perplexed look on Calliope's face after what I just said to her about her sister's revenge and putting me in the middle of her scenario, I push the button on her cell phone so we may both listen to the last voice mail message. I hear the deep rich voice of Calliope's father as he says to his daughter "Calliope, I just want to talk to you this morning before you and Arizona venture out on your sightseeing day together. But you leave me no choice as I have to talk to your voice mail instead. Well anyways, when you and Arizona are ready to leave the hotel please call Javier and tell him you are both ready to leave. Because I gave him direct instructions to call Christopher so that he may chauffer the two of you around today as you show your friend our fair city. And Arizona I would like to personally thank you for sharing our dinner last night. Lucia and I enjoyed ourselves immensely as we both found you smart, funny, beautiful and such a delight. I can see why our Calliope is so fond of you. And one final thing Calliope, please make sure that you and Arizona are here tonight for this shindig before 9 p.m. or you mother will have all of our hides. Do I make myself perfectly clear young lady? I love you mija and you and Arizona have a wonderful day".

My friend smiles at me as she closes her voice mail and say to me "Well it did not take you long to win over my father's heart Arizona. I can clearly hear in his voice that he is very fond of you too". I rise from my seat and make my way over to my Calliope as I sit in her lap and say to her passionately "Well even though you sister and your father are both very fond of me, you are the only Torres I want in my life". I place a kiss on Calliope's lips so that I may just reassure my friend that I do not have and never will have any intentions of sleeping with her sister…no matter how much Aria wants revenge.

Christopher drives the long black limousine down the lengthy winding driveway to the Torres mansion as my friend Calliope and I gather ourselves before we greet the hundreds of guests at the infamous Carlos and Lucia Torres's New Year's Eve party. Parking this monstrosity of a vehicle at the entrance and before Christopher opens the door Calliope asks him to wait a moment. Turning her head to face me my friend places a tender kiss upon my lips as she says to me so sincerely "I want to kiss you at midnight Arizona but my mother is very headstrong about the two of us not showing any kind of public displays of affection. So if for some unknown reason we are not together when it gets close to midnight I want you to meet me right there". My friend points out the window and up a very large tree to a small house like structure as she continues to say "This is my very own tree house that my father had built for me when I was younger. Please tell me you will meet me there before the stroke of midnight so we may share a kiss".

I cup my friend's face in my hands as I kiss her passionately but tenderly too and then I tell my Calliope "You have made my visit to Miami a very memorable one my friend and I would be honored to meet you in your tree house before midnight because I too want to kiss you before the new year begins". With one last kiss to share before we face the masses our Christopher opens the limo door and we are both greeted by Calliope's parents and her sister Aria.

Being a slight bit overwhelmed by meeting all of Calliope's relatives and family friends of the whole Torres clan was so not on my agenda when I agreed to fly to Miami earlier this month. I thought that I would just fly down here for a couple of days and spend some quality time with my friend over the holiday. I don't know maybe I am just over thinking this situation way too much or it could just be all the alcohol and food I have been consuming all evening.

I find an empty room in this enormously vast home to take a minute to collect my thoughts before I meet more of my friend's family and friends. The room I enter is illuminated only by the moonlight cascading itself off the top of the ocean outside. I walk around the room and figure out that this must be the music room. There is a baby grand piano that is resting off into the one corner of the room while parts of the room have music pedestals where some random sheet music once lay. Walking deeper into the room I see a collection of pictures on the one wall facing the French doors as the moonlight shines on each picture.

In a few pictures I see younger versions of Calliope and Aria both sitting at the piano at separate times and with each picture showing their mother Lucia teaching them how to play this beautiful instrument. Then I see some more pictures of the two sisters with Carlos showing them how to play the guitar and the violin. On a beautiful antique table underneath all of these photos lay numerous awards and accolades and trophies of their performances at different kinds of functions. Then I hear a sound…a sound of someone crying. I turn my body around thinking that I am the only on in the room but I am not.

In one of the rustic antique chairs that adorn this spacious and beautiful room I have found myself in I hear the soft cry of one Aria Belle Torres. I remember a talk that Calliope and I had about our names and how our parents chose them. She told me that her father gave her sister her first name and her mother gave Aria her middle name. The name Belle is a shorten version of Carlos's mother's first name of Isabella. I cautiously walk across the room to find Calliope's sister with her head down wiping the tears from her eyes. I kneel before her taking her hands in mine as I wait for her to look at me. I do not have to wait to long to see the gorgeous brown eyes of my friend's sister as they lock onto my ocean blue ones.

Then Aria is the first to speak as she says to me "I cannot believe I am crying about this shit". I chuckle a bit and says "What shit are you referring to my dear sweet friend's sister"? Aria smiles at me and says "I am sitting here feeling sorry for myself because my sister is a slut. I am still upset at the fact she slept with Ramon even though it was so long ago. But now my conceited and self centered ass is only thinking about how I have no one to kiss at midnight. How fucked up is that shit Arizona"?

I smirk my best shit eating grin back at Calliope's sister as I say to her "Well my dear Aria, I have devised a plan in my crazy ass head, so if you are game, I will help you get somewhat of a slight revenge on your sister for her sleeping with Ramon all those years ago and not telling you about it until now. What do you say there my freind's sister…want to fake out your sister tonight at midnight? This plan in my head does not have me sleeping with you…even though I know you secretly want me too". The look on Aria's face is priceless as she didn't know that I heard her voice mail message to her sister.

I look at the watch on my left arm as it reads 11:55 p.m. and I finish lighting the candles that decorate the inside of my tree house. I turn on some soft music and close the curtains that line my open windows so prying eyes from the mansion cannot see inside my tree house. I then hear the creaking of the wooden steps that ascend up the tree as there is a soft knock on the door. I open the door to see my friend standing there and I silently invite her in. Watching Arizona walk into the center of my one room tree house in that gorgeous midnight blue dress that she has been in all night makes me want to take her right here and right now. But my head gets the better of my body's raging libido as I ask my friend instead "Would you like a glass of wine Arizona"?

With my friend shaking her head in the affirmative as I can only assume by her body language that she too wants to take me right here and right now by her sudden silence, I hand Arizona a glass of white wine. After Arizona and I take a few sips of our wine, I take the glasses out of our hands and set them on the table beside us. As we both listen to the house full of relatives and friends shout out the countdown to the New Year, I close the distance between out two bodies as I wrap my arms around Arizona's waist and I feel her drape her hands and arms around my neck. And when we hear everybody shout out "Happy New Year" from inside the house I gently pull my friend closer in my arms as I softly say "Happy New Year baby" and kiss my Arizona passionately as I feel her reciprocate the kiss just as passionately back to me.

I do not even pay attention to hearing the creaking of the wooden steps up the tree house a second time as I am still kissing Arizona. But when the door flies open our kiss breaks as we see my sister standing in the doorway. With Arizona still in my arms, I watch my sister grab one of Arizona's arms from around my neck and my grasp and pull my friend into her body as she places her hands on Arizona's cheeks and pulls her into an overpowering kiss. I am standing here, in my own tree house, shocked into utter silence watching this freak show unfold before me. I am frozen…I literally cannot move my body as I am stunned at what I am witnessing.

Then I am brought back to reality as I hear my sister and my friend both moaning in each others mouths as I watch my sister's tongue glide over my friend's lips and invade Arizona's mouth. Still not being able to move a muscle or say anything to stop this fiasco, I watch as my sister breaks the kiss she has given my friend and their foreheads resting on each others as I hear my sister say to Arizona "Wow…Dr. Robbins…you are quite the good kisser I imagined". That is when I go full on cage fighter at my sister as I begin to move towards her but my movements are stopped suddenly by my friend and instead I just shout at my sister "What the fuck Aria? What do you think you are doing kissing Arizona like that"? That is when I stand in the center of the room, slightly apart from the two of them, and see both my sister and my friend as they are smiling at each other and back at me and I hear them both shout out loud "Bazinga…Calliope".

Aria and I try to explain the harmless revenge process that came from my crazy ass brain as we both can tell that Calliope is not the least bit amused. Aria decides that this is her cue to leave the tree house and this situation we have both created but when she leans in to kiss my cheek I take a step back away from her impending lips. I think it is best not to poke the horny bear that is running rampant inside Calliope right now so I extend my hand and say to my friend's sister "It was very nice to meet you Aria. I've had a wonderful time with my visit to Miami. You take care of yourself".

Aria reaches for my hand and shakes it as she says to me "It was a pleasure to meet you too Arizona and have a safe flight back to Baltimore tomorrow". Aria tries one last time to apologize to her sister and tells her goodnight but Calliope will have nothing to do with her sister's pleasantries and we both watch Aria leave the tree house still wearing that smirkish grin on her face as this does not go unnoticed by her sister.

I take a seat on this weather beaten sofa that has probably been in this tree house for years as I sit next to my friend. Calliope is still so upset for the trick that Aria and I played on her earlier so I decide to make the first move. Taking the final sip from my glass of white wine I say to my friend "You going to stay mad at me all night Calliope"? Staring at the way that little black dress hugs every single curve of Calliope's body as my thoughts rage through my mind while I am waiting for her to answer my question. Thinking how much I would love to ravish her body right now but then I hear my friend say "Really Arizona, I cannot believe you are even serious with this shit".

Watching Calliope's right arm drape over the back of the sofa while her left arm clings to the arm rest I hear my friend say almost in a whisper "So…did you enjoy that kiss that Aria gave you"? That is when I take matters in my own hands, so to speak, and jump up off the sofa a little and straddle my friend's lap and say "You are the only Torres woman I ever want to kiss. I am sorry that our little joke got out of hand but I honestly thought you might think it was a bit funny…but apparently I was wrong".

Still straddling Calliope's lap as I am waiting for some kind of response…actually any kind of response from her but she just keeps looking anywhere else in the room but at me. I take a hold of her right hand that is draped over the back of the sofa as I spread her fingers outward. Taking her middle finger in my mouth as I soak it down with my saliva I then take her index finger and then her third finger and do the same to the two of them. Then I lift my bottom off of her lap and kneel in front of her as she tries to pull her hand from mine but to no avail and she says "Arizona, please don't…I am just not in the mood".

But I keep going with my quest as I slide the fabric of my little black dress up my thighs and across my ass and then over my head as my friend now sees that I am bare assed naked on my knees before her and I hear her gasp out loud. I take her right hand and guide those wet fingers inside me as I hear Calliope ask in a whisper "Arizona, what are you doing to me"? All the while pumping her fingers deep into me as I whisper back in her ear "Letting you have your way with me Calliope" as I feel her left hand slide off the arm rest to find the back of my neck as she is pulling me down onto her mouth and lips telling me "You are so fucking…so fucking hot and beautiful baby".

My middle finger is deep inside my friend…searching for that one special place inside her to make her come…my index finger and my third finger do their job and easily spread open my friend's pussy even more…so that my middle finger can find that one spot…that one spot that makes a woman come so hard…so…so very hard. My friend Arizona arches her back and begins to scream my name and that is when I know for a fact that I am close…I am this close to finding that one spot…then out of the blue…I find the spot…that sweet…sweet spot as I feel the orgasm I have been working towards for her rips through my friend's body and she falls forward to rest her upper body against my face.

With my face buried deep in Arizona's chest I feel her pull on my hair a little as she tilts my head backwards and her face instantly meets mine in the sweetest kiss I have ever experienced. But when the tip of my thumb gently strokes my friend's very sensitive clit, because I have yet to pull my fingers out of her, I feel Arizona break our kiss and push my face once again deep into her chest. Inhaling her left breast into my open mouth, I continue to tease my Arizona with the tip of my thumb against her swollen clit as I feel her beginning to ride my hand again and scream my name over and over.

When I reach my second orgasm of the night I am squeezing Calliope's face into my chest as I faintly hear her say my name. Catching my breath I release the hold I have on my friend's face so she may catch her breath too. But when my Calliope removes her fingers from deep inside me, my body is sent into such an aftershock that the juices from my body have built up so much that Calliope's fingers and hand and the front of her dress are soaked because I come again…so…so hard. I am apologizing profusely to Calliope and saying that I will make sure that her dress is properly dry cleaned as I hear her say to me "Are you kidding me Arizona. I should have this dress framed to show everyone I know how good I am at making you come so hard".

I smack my friend's shoulder softly on my way down her body to kneel on the wooden floor in front of her as I spread her legs open. I make a suggestion "You may want to take off your dress" and before I can even get the suggestion out of my mouth Calliope tugs her dress over her head and tosses it across the room. My friend bends her head down to me as I laughingly say "Eager much" and Calliope captures my lips in hers as she tells me in that one kiss just how bad she wants me and I want her just as bad too.

Going down on my friend is just one of the highlights of my visit here in Miami. Seeing and feeling and hearing her enjoying what I am doing to her right now makes me smile proudly. Feeling that my friend is about to come soon as I remove my face from deep inside her beauty and replace my tongue and mouth with my fingers. Hearing her moan my name so softly as I see her face begins to contort with many different facial expressions I lift my face to hers and say in her ear "Come for me, baby". Then I watch as my friend says very loudly "I'm coming…Arizona…I am coming" and she does…she so does. Holding my friend close to my naked body as she comes down from her orgasmic high, I say to her "What do you say my friend that we take this pleasurable night back to the hotel so we can properly scream out each others name before I have to leave tomorrow evening".

Calliope smiles at me and says "Yes but we need to figure out how to get out of here and away from the house before my parents know we are gone". I grab my dress as Calliope does the same and we place them back over our bodies as my friend grabs her phone to make a call. Hearing Calliope making arrangements with our friend Javier, my friend takes my hand in hers as I hear her say to me "Let's go, Arizona".

Carefully making our way down to the beach and past some late night party family and friends, Arizona and I jog through the shoreline waters of the Atlantic Ocean until we both hear someone say "Calliope" off in the distance. My friend and I both stop dead in out tracks and look behind back from where we just came from only to see a slightly shorter demure figure of my myself making her way to us and I say softly "Mama" but much to my dismay Arizona hears me too. We both stand at attention on the shore as my mother approaches quickly. Knowing that look on her face as I have seen it hundreds of times before when I have done something she either does not like or does not agree with, I ask my friend "Arizona, Let me please handle this".

My friend nods her head back to me just as we both hear my mother harshly say "Calliope Iphigenia Torres, all I asked of you tonight was to not show any public displays of affection to your friend. I am sorry Arizona but could you please excuse my daughter and I so we may have a family discussion". I watch Arizona as she drops her head at my mother's presence and say "Yes ma'am" as she begins to walk away from my mother and me.

I quickly take my life back as I take hold of my friend's hand to stop her suddenly. I glare at my mother as I say to her "No mother, you cannot dismiss Arizona like she means nothing to me. She is my friend and I will not allow you to just excuse her presence before you simply because she makes you feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Of all of the family and friends that I have she is the only one who gets me. Do you understand what I am saying mother…Arizona gets me. I know that you do not understand what I am going through and you feel that I should find the right man to settle down with but mama what if I don't want to just settle down or even if I do not want to just settle for just anyone for that matter. This is my life and you cannot dictate how I should live my life. I love you and daddy with all my heart but this is not your life to relive through me…this is my life…and it's now or never".


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX…JANUARY 3, 2006**

From the moment I arrive back in Baltimore yesterday my feet hit the ground running. Johns Hopkins human resources department has found a place for me to live and they have moved all my furniture and belongings out of storage and in this new apartment. But today I am back in the Pediatric Department and smiling up at the OR board seeing my name in big letters written in black magic marker at the five surgeries I am scheduled to perform today. My mentor, Dr. Norman McHale stops to stand by my side as he places his arm around my shoulder and gives me a gentle hug and says "Good to have you back, Dr. Robbins" and I poke my right hip into his left one as I smile at him and say "It is so good to be back, sir". Then we smile at each other one more time as we both walk away from each other going in different directions with me heading to the scrub room to get ready for my next surgery.

Two days ago I was in the warm sunshine of Miami with my friend Calliope and her lovely family. In the early morning hours of New Year's Day when I suggested to my friend that we take our pleasurable night back to the hotel and spend the last day and a half of my visit staying in bed but then we were interrupted by the voice and presence of Calliope's mother Lucia. After a somewhat soft shouting match between mother and daughter on the beach just outside the prying ears and eyes of family and friends that have been invited to the party, Calliope and I walk towards the access road in total silence to find the long black limo that brought us both here this evening with Christopher opening the door and me following her into the vehicle.

Staring at my friend's face watching the anger being pent up as she is trying so hard not to cry. I whisper "Calliope" and instantly my friend says with some rage in her voice "No Arizona…she does not get to do this to me. If she does not want me and my life living in the only house I have ever called home…then so be it. She does not have the right to dictate how I live my life and who I want to share my life with. So no Arizona…she is not going to ruin our time together". Calliope then yells at our driver and tells him to take the two of us to the hotel.

My friend and I spend the rest of New Year's Day in bed making love to each other and then fucking the hell out of each other. We also sit and talk about what happened between Calliope and her mother while enjoying some delicious food from the hotel's room service. Over the course of the afternoon Carlos even calls several times as he and Calliope talk in Spanish and then argue and then talk some more. Then Aria calls to say that if my friend needs to search for an apartment that she would love to help her sister find a new place to live.

The next morning Calliope and I take in some of the best places in Miami to see and to eat. Then by 3 p.m. Javier knocks on my hotel room door one final time as he comes to collect my luggage. I thank him for his hospitality during my visit as I hug him hard and whisper in his ear "No more calling me Dr. Robbins, Javier. My name is Arizona and all my friends call me by my first name. I consider you my friend now so no more calling me Dr. Robbins alright my friend".

Once our embrace unravels and Javier looks into my eyes as I see the tears that have formed in his eyes and I hear him say "It would be and honor and a pleasure to call you my friend…Arizona. I am very glad that you had a wonderful visit and I look forward to seeing you again". Javier then leaves the room to give my friend an I some alone time. With Calliope standing in the doorway of the veranda as Javier and I say our goodbyes, I walk over to my friend and wrap my arms around her waist kissing the back of her neck.

I feel the soft sweet lips of my friend as she is kissing my neck and I melt back into her arms. Not wanting to believe that this fairy tale visit is coming to an end, I turn to hold onto my friend for dear life. With a little high school make out session before we leave the hotel room and head out to the airport, I whisper in my friend's ear "I like you…I like you a lot, Arizona". Then much to my surprise Arizona kisses my lips and says "I like you too, Calliope…a lot". Gathering the remaining items from the suite as I help my friend, we make our way out of the hotel and to the awaiting town car with Christopher driving us to the airport.

Once we leave the comforts of the hotel and with my hand on my friend's naked thigh, I settle on making my last hour or so here in Miami something that my friend will not soon forget. I kiss my Calliope very passionately in the back seat of this limo as I lift her body up off the seat and into my lap. With the soft whisper of my name "Arizona" falling out of my friend with benefits mouth, I slide the thin straps of her sun dress over her shoulders and down her arms and within seconds of this move I inhale my friend's left breast in my mouth as my left hand palms her right breast. Hearing my friend moan my name again I send three of my fingers deep inside her very hot and very wet center as I continue to ravish her bosoms in my very hot mouth. Calliope begins to run her fingers through my blond curls on my head as she slowly moves her body in an up and down motion over my inserted fingers as she maintains her screaming my name over and over.

Then as almost as quickly as it began, this x rated make out session finishes with my friend coming all over me and my hand. Tugging up the back of my friend's sun dress to take a hold of her rock hard ass cheeks I continue to kiss and suck on her breasts as I hear Calliope say "I am so going to miss you Arizona". Kissing my way from my friend's breasts up to her neck and face, she tips her head a bit and looks down at me as I tell her with all the love I have for her in this moment "We need to keep in touch because baby I am too going to miss you especially the way I make you come".

Then with another passionate kiss that we share I feel my friend painstakingly slide down my body to give me one final female blow job as I spread my legs open wider to invite her into me. Calliope drapes my legs over her shoulders as I dig my fingernails into the back of my friend's head guiding her face to have her way with me one last time. Even though I know that this limo is sound proof, I am sure that Christopher our driver can hear me scream Calliope's name at the top of my lungs when I finally reach my orgasm. Because I see the smile on his face change to a smirk as he opens our door to help us both out of the vehicle.

Saying our final goodbyes as my friend and I hear the final boarding call for my flight to Baltimore. Kissing my friend one last time, tasting each other in that one last kiss, promising to call her when I land and promising her to keep in touch until we see each other again, I feel Calliope squeeze my ass as we tell each other we'll talk soon. I walk away from my friend holding onto her hand until the bitter end. I wave and smile to her before I disappear down the jet way and walk to my pending first class seat on the airplane that will take me back to my home…my home…in Baltimore Maryland…to a home that I have not seen or been to in over two years. Two years…two years since I've called Baltimore home…and two years since I left for that god forsaken country of Malawi in Africa.

Now I am standing in OR number one at JohnsHopkinsHospital in the Pediatric wing for the last three hours operating on a three year old little girl with a bowel obstruction. All the while thinking to myself how I have missed this so much. Whether it is here in Baltimore Maryland at one of the most sophisticated and renown hospitals in the world or in a makeshift hospital room in one of the most remote countries of the world, it all comes down to the same intention…the same principle…saving tiny humans is my main purpose in my life…in my life…because this is my life and it is now or never.

The first two things I did when my feet hit the ground running when I came home to Baltimore was to call my friend Calliope to let her know that I made it to Baltimore safe and sound. Luckily I was able to catch her between surgeries and we talk for over an hour. My friend informs me that her sister found her a condo of her own down along the beach in the Miami suburb of South Beach also known as SoBe and she is moving into her new digs this week.

I jokingly say to my friend Calliope "Isn't that were we had went out clubbing a few nights ago. How are you going to concentrate on your internship if you are out every night at the clubs because you know how much you love to dance"? I hear my friend laugh out loud as I am so happy to hear her laughter after leaving her in the aftermath of her fight with her mother. I do not ask about how things are going with that situation yet and feel that maybe I should just wait until my friend brings the conversation up herself to me.

The second thing I did when I arrived home was to call the woman I met at my parent's home on Christmas Eve day. Thinking about this woman…this woman that helped bring my brother home and back to his family…I would just like to take her out to dinner to show my appreciation for her gesture. I find her home phone number in the bottom of my purse that this woman gave me on that faithful day. Walking to my Jeep, which the JohnsHopkinsHospital human resources department left for me at the north end of the airport parking lot, I place a call to this woman named Joanne.

As I receive a very pleasant "Hello" from a woman on the other end of this phone call I ask "May I speak with Joanne"? The pleasant sounding woman tells me "I'm sorry but she is at work right now. Can I ask who is calling and if you would like to leave a message"? I am uncertain who this woman is so I make my mind up not to leave my information with her as I say "Oh that is alright. I will try to call her later as I have just arrived in town and need to get myself together. Thank you for your time". I hang up from that call to try the cell phone number that Joanne also gave me. A few rings later I hear her voice say "Hello, you have reached my phone number so please leave me a message at the tone and I will call you back, thanks". I leave her a message for a return call as I tell her that I am home here in Baltimore and then I place my phone on the docking station on my dashboard. I am navigating my way to my new apartment that the hospital has found me when I hear my phone's ring tone.

I tap the front of my phone and say "Hello" as the voice on the other end says "Arizona" in a questioning tone. I ask "Yes this is Arizona and who might this be"? Then I hear the laughter as the woman says "Hello…this is Joanne". For the next forty five minutes of my drive to my new home, Joanne and I talk. I come to find out that she has joined the Baltimore Police Department as a rookie patrol officer. Her CO (commanding officer) from the military helped her get her new position on the police force. I finally pull into my garage of my apartment when I ask Joanne "How about we get together for dinner on Friday night"? Joanne answers quickly as I hear a piercing "yes" over my end of our phone call. Joanne gives me her address as I tell her that I will pick her up at eight p.m. sharp. Once we end the phone call I promptly call my favorite French restaurant in Baltimore, the "Charleston", and make reservations for dinner this Friday night at 8 p.m. for two.

**FRIDAY…January 6, 2006**

Calliope and I have talked several times the first week I have arrived back home in Baltimore. We mostly talk about our different but incredible surgeries that we both have performed. But tonight's conversation is mainly focusing on her mother's response to her moving out of the mansion this week and into her own condo. My friend and I put each other on speaker phone because we are both getting ready for our evening out. Calliope is going out clubbing later tonight with some of her fellow intern friends and I am taking Joanne out to dinner. While we are both getting dressed my friend asks me a personal question that makes me think about my intentions for this dinner. Calliope asks "Arizona, are you sure that this Joanne chick knows this dinner tonight is just your way of showing your appreciation for her helping bring your brother home and not a first dinner date"?

Trying to choose a dress for this evening is becoming pretty difficult because of the recent snow storm that has hit the city but I answer my friend's question in my best mocking of my mother's southern twang voice as I say to Calliope "Why Miss Calliope, if I did not know any better I would think that you might be a little jealous". I hear my friend's laughter fill my bedroom as she says point blank "Really Arizona, I am only asking this question because have you seen you? I mean seriously my dear from the first time I met you five months ago and until you walked off that plane over a week ago I knew that I wanted you. Wanted to make love to you and fuck the hell out of you. So excuse me for thinking that this chick may want something more from you than your appreciation for her helping with bringing your brother home".

From the final tone of my friend's voice I hear her genuine concern for my well being as I say sincerely "Calliope, I am so sorry for making light of your belief that Joanne could be thinking that there is something more than my generosity. I will talk with her over dinner to make sure she understands that I am not looking for any type of relationship with her or with anyone right now". A long sigh comes over my phone when I hear my friend say "right now" and a smile crosses my face as I say again "Yes right now Calliope…because I need and want, like you, to concentrate on completing my residency and moving on with my medical career. So yes…I do not want a relationship right now". The air in my bedroom grows silent and I am not sure what to think about my friend's non reaction to my last statement but then a pant of air is released from both Calliope and I as my friend says "You are right…Arizona, you are absolutely right. We both need to focus on our careers and become the best surgeons we can be because our friendship will always be there…no matter what".

I call Joanne around six p.m. to tell her that I am running a little late due to my last surgery taking longer than scheduled. I make the suggestion, since she too is still at work at the North District police station, that she meet me down in the lobby of the hospital and I join her there soon. Joanne agrees with the change of plans and I am grateful because after taking with Calliope earlier I think it would be best if we met on neutral ground. In the back of my mind I am still thinking about what my friend said about maybe Joanne taking this dinner the wrong way…out of context…thinking that this is a date and not just me showing my gratitude for her kindness to my brother.

Besides, I am thinking this way by meeting in the hospital lobby I do not have to pick her up at her house because I really do not want to know where she lives and I definitely do not want her to know where I live. I convince myself this is a good way to meet before our dinner because I am tossing several different freaking out scenarios around in this pretty little head of mine. But that all changes when I take three steps out of the elevator onto the main lobby floor and come to a complete stop. I see that Calliope may be right in her assumption that Joanne may be thinking of this dinner tonight being a date…our first date because Joanne is standing in front of me with one single rose in her hand as she calls out my name.

Continuing with my walk towards Joanne, she hands me the single rose as she kisses my cheek and says "It's so great to see you tonight Arizona and I can't wait to have dinner with you". I just nod my head and smile as I take the rose out of her hand and then I say "Well then, follow me". We both walk to my car chit chatting away about our respective careers when Joanne surprises me by opening my driver side door while helping me take my seat. Traffic on this Friday night is somewhat heavy as it takes us about thirty minutes to reach the Charleston restaurant. Once I have ordered a white wine to have with my dinner and Joanne orders a Jack and coke, I feel it is time to clear the air before our meals arrive.

I begin by saying "I would like to propose a toast" as I hold my wine glass in the air and Joanne follows suit with her alcohol filled glass and I continue "I just want to thank you again for helping my brother find his way home. It means the world to my parents and me that he is back on U.S. soil". Joanne and I cling our glasses together and then I muster up the courage to say "I just want to let you know Joanne that I do not want to give you the wrong impression that this dinner tonight is anything but me showing you my gratitude for what you and Sean did for me and my family". I am taken aback by what Joanne says next as she says to me "Wow Arizona, could you possibly be any more presumptuous or egotistical about dinner tonight. Man, that chick in Miami must have you on a short leash when she is not around".

There are a few things in this world that set me off immediately and two of those things are when someone who does not even know me talks about my family or my friends in a disrespectful manner. And that is what Joanne has just done as I say to her "What did you just say to me"? With our meal and another round of drinks arriving at the same time I repeat myself when I say in a not so likeable tone to Joanne "What did you just say to me? And what do you mean by that chick"?

Joanne just laughs a bit which angers me even more and then she says "Well by your tone and what you just said to me I am thinking that you want to make sure that I do not think of this dinner date as being a romantic first dinner date of any kind. As for that chick comment, your brother and I were talking the other night and he just happened to mention to me that you went to visit your friend in Miami over the New Year celebration. But the funny thing about our conversation is that he did not even know this chick's name because it seems that you and your brother have some sort of pact, from way back when, that neither of you talk to the other one about who you both are seeing or dating but for the life of me I cannot figure out why. You would think after spending almost two years together in the heat and sun of Iraq that your brother would be a little more forthcoming about his baby sister. And kudos to you by the way for poking that Latina chick…because really Arizona, who does not love a little dark meat every once in a while".

I am now beyond pissed off as I throw my napkin on the table and wave to the waiter as I ask him for the check. Joanne grabs a hold of my hand to prevent me from standing and leaving as she crudely says to me "Arizona wait, I thought maybe we could end this night by walking across the street and getting a hotel room. I just want to see if you wanted to go somewhere nice and fuck each others brains out". Before I can move from my seat or say anything to this bitch, she keeps talking as she says to me "I thought maybe I would be lucky enough to enjoy the sexual escapades of both Robbins siblings since I have already fucked your brother over in Iraq. I just wanted to see if you were as good as your brother and up to par with Tim".

Joanne begins to laugh uncontrollably when the waiter arrives with my credit card after I pay for dinner and I tell him "When this bitch is finished with her dinner call her a fucking cab or let her walk home for all I care". I hastily grab my jacket off the back of my chair as I yell at Joanne and say "do not ever call me or text me again you piece of shit" and I storm out of my favorite restaurant all the while trying to call my brother on my cell phone.

Sitting in my Jeep in the restaurant parking lot as I am talking to Tim telling him what happened tonight, I hear my brother over the other end of our phone conversation apologize to me for what has just taken place over dinner with Joanne. He tells me that he has tried to disengage himself from Joanne's misbehavior and is very thankful that she lives so far away for him right now. Then I tell him why I am really mad about the whole situation as I say to him "Why did you discuss such personal things and issues to her about the two of us when you were over in Iraq? That pact we made was just between the two of us and nobody else. I told you that what happened with that part of our life was just between you and me and Nick's sister Stephanie was just between the three of us. Because it was that day…that dreadful day…that you and I were not going to talk to each other about who we are seeing or dating or any sexual relationship we are having now or in the future".

I hear the sadness in my brother's voice as he says once again to me "I know Arizona, and I cannot tell you enough how sorry I am for sleeping with Stephanie when she was with you. For the rest of my life I will apologize to you everyday for that mistake for as long as you need to hear me tell you that I am truly so sorry". With this conversation becoming a little too serious after what I just went through with Joanne and now that I have calmed down a bit, I think it is time for me to head home so I tell my brother that I love him and ask him to tell my parents the same as he tells me he loves me too and we end this strange conversation.

I take a moment and lean my head back onto the cool feeling of the top of my seat as I take a breath before starting my Jeep and heading home. But just as I am relaxing for a minute I hear a loud knock on my passenger side window and see Joanne standing there. I start my vehicle and I hear her scream "Seriously Arizona, you are not going to take me back to my car"? I slowly pull the Jeep away from the curb as I watch Joanne push herself off my vehicle as this action answers her question. With a faint sounding "You bitch" I quickly smile into my rear view mirror as I see her hand rising in the night air and she flipping me off with her middle finger waving all about.

I place my cell phone on the stationing dock as I hit the number three button and my phone begins to send my call onward to my friend. Four rings later I hear Calliope's voice mail say "You have reach me but I cannot get to my phone right now but if you leave me a message I will call you back and as always have a great day". I laugh into my friend's voice mail once I hear the ping as I say "Oh my dear friend you must call me back as soon as you can. So much to tell you about tonight's dinner and so much more. Call me back when you can because I will be waiting up and if you are lucky there may be something extra in store for you tonight just because you were right…you were so right about Joanne…my gorgeous Latina friend of mine".


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank everyone for all your wonderful reviews and comments...you are the best...and for those of wondering about our lovely ladies and their journey...be patient...be very patient...we'll get there! **

**CHAPTER SEVEN…TUESDAY…JANUARY 10, 2006**

Seventy two hours…seventy two hours…that is how long I have been awake and on my feet working on surgeries…so many different surgeries. But now I am standing in the hot…hot shower in the women's locker room as every muscle in my body is aching. The hot shower is supposed to help with my aching muscles but the longer I stand under this hot cascade of water the more I just want to go home and go to sleep. For the last twelve hours, five of my intern colleagues along with myself and four residents and two attending orthopedic doctors build a young man some new legs.

You see, this young man is a bicycle messenger and was working late yesterday evening when a teenage mother was driving her car. As this mother was yelling at her three year old daughter to keep herself strapped in the car seat, this young teenage mother ran a red light and ran her car into the young bicycle messenger pinning him against her car and a nearby tree. Both the mother and daughter died on their way to the hospital but this young man is still alive this morning after the twelve of us ortho gods built him a new skeletonal framework and built him some new legs. I so love what I do as I say to my fellow ortho interns "we build bones out of nothing and legs like god" and they all laugh at my antics. When I finally reach my locker I see that I have messages on my phone from my friend in Baltimore.

Deciding on waiting until I arrive back at my condo to call Arizona so that I am in the comforts of my big ass bed, it takes only three rings to hear her sweet voice as she says "Calliope, what the hell took you so long to call me back…I was getting worried"? I smile and then laugh at my friend as I tell her about my last three days in the OR and the incredible surgeries that I have been a part of and I hear her say "Well then, all is forgiven". I lie back on my king sized bed and listen to my friend tell me about her dinner date that took place over three days ago as I just smirk into the phone and want to say to her so bad "I told you so" but I hold my tongue as I revel in the fact that I knew that I was right all along about that crazy bitch.

Then Arizona tells me about the conversation that she had with her brother as she tells me about the pact that they made all those years ago and I am experiencing some déjà vu with her story about her and her brother and this girl named Stephanie. This story begins to sound so much like my relationship with my sister and Ramon. So much so that it is starting to freak me out a little even though are stories are quite different and unique but all in all it still involves me and my sister and a man we both once slept with much like Arizona and Tim sleeping with the same woman but Arizona not knowing about Tim's involvement with Stephanie.

Laughing every once in a while at my friend's storytelling about how Joanne wanted to sleep with Arizona to compare her sexual experience with Tim against Arizona. Then with me getting a little pissed off at Joanne's reference to me as being called "dark meat" and Arizona apologizing profusely for Joanne's rude comment, I say to my friend "You have nothing to apologize for Arizona. Just because that woman is a racist bitch it has no reflection on you or how I feel about you". Then I come to a decision to tell my friend a little secret of my own when I say "Arizona, I would like to know if I can come for a visit to Baltimore around the first of March. I have something to discuss with you but I want to wait until I am sure of the outcome before I tell you. So my friend, may I come and see you in about seven weeks"?

With the sound of crying and whimpering coming over the phone lines I hear my friend say "Oh yes Calliope, I would love for you to come and visit me. I have missed you so much. Just tell me of your travel plans and I will take time off while you are here to show you around this great city". With the thought in my head of telling my friend that I have missed her so much too but then stopping myself because I do not want to complicate our friendship any further by telling my friend Arizona Robbins that I am falling madly and deeply in love with her at this time in our lives. Because I know deep down inside she feels the same way I do but my future plans may change everything…everything about our friendship and our future together. So for now I will just keep my feeling about my falling in love with my friend to myself and tell her when the time is right…if that time ever comes. Because a change is coming…a change I never saw coming…and when I find out for sure…there is only one person I want to share this change in my life with…and that is with my friend that I am falling in love with right now.

Calliope and I end our latest phone call as now all I am thinking about is how mysterious she is being about her reason for wanting to come for a visit and see me at the beginning of March. With this one thought overshadowing my consciousness this morning when I should be concentrating on my next surgery, I make my way to my mentor and boss's office to ask him for some time off. Dr. Norman McHale stands before me with that look on his face…that look that I have seen so many time in the past…that look of complete understanding that he has for me. But before he will answer my request for some time off the first week of March, he says he needs to talk to me about something important.

The good doctor stands from behind his enormously large walnut desk as he says to me "It is with great pride and honor today that I, Dr. Norman Douglas McHale, say to you Dr. Arizona Michelle Robbins congratulations as you are now the Chief Resident of the Pediatric Surgery Department at Johns Hopkins Hospital". I am so glad that I am sitting down because if I were standing I am positively sure that I would be laying passed out face first and flat down on the floor of my boss's office right now.

I stand before him to say a big and hearty "Thank you" as I extend my hand out to him for him to shake. As this man…this man I have respected for the last four years of my life…shakes my hand as he then says "There will be a formal dinner on Saturday January 21st at the Torres Hotel in downtown Baltimore to make this announcement properly but I wanted to be the one to tell you personally because Arizona I have loved working with you over these past years. You have become the inspiration that I have wanted every member of my pediatric staff to achieve. You are a great surgeon and someday you will be the head of your very own pediatric department whether it is here in Baltimore at Johns Hopkins or at any other hospital anywhere your heart takes you. I am so deeply proud of you and what you have accomplished here at Johns Hopkins and especially in Africa".

My friend…my mentor…walks around his massive desk as he wraps me up in his arms and gives me a proper hug of appreciation. Then once this precious moment is over, Dr. McHale says to me "Please by all means do not say anything to the rest of my staff about this matter as I want to tell them at the dinner on Saturday. Oh by the way, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about again"?

I then tell the good doctor "I will keep this announcement to myself as I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratefulness for this decision. I will make you proud sir and you will never regret your decision". Dr. McHale sits back down behind his desk as he smiles back at me and says "You have never been that doctor that I have ever regretted teaching, Arizona. It has been my pleasure being your teacher". Before I turn to leave his office I ask him "I know this may not seem like the right time to ask this after what you have just told me but do you think I could take a week off work at the beginning of March"?

This wonderful man…this caring man…says to me with a smile stretching across his hard and worn face "Does this have anything to do with the one and only Dr. Calliope Torres of Miami"? With my face blushing beet red and my mouth carrying the biggest smile possible, I do not have to say a word because my friend…my boss says to me "Of course you may have this time off to spend with your friend and tell Ms. Torres I said hello".

I am on cloud nine as I skip throughout the Peds ward of the hospital with my face smiling at everyone and my perkiness all aglow. Checking out the OR board and seeing my name on three different surgeries today, I decide to wait until later to call my family and friends about my new promotion since technically I am not really supposed to say anything just yet…not officially until Saturday. Hope I can contain this great news all to myself…but who am I kidding…I really have to tell someone.

So I see, by the time on the OR board, that I am not due in my first surgery for another hour I make the consciousness choice to let my fingers do the walking and press the first number on my cell phone. Within three rings the sweet voice I have been longing to hear for over a week now since I left Boston asks in her beautiful southern twanging voice "Hello baby girl, and what do I owe the pleasure of your call today"? I talk to my mother and my father, as he has picked up the extension in the study, for the next forty minutes or so until we all hear my pager buzzing.

I tell them of my new position here in the Peds department as I hear them cheering and congratulating me with all the love they have for me in this one phone call. I invite them both to come to the presentation on Saturday and to invite Tim as well. My mother says with all the excitement in her voice that she can muster "Your father and I cannot think of anywhere else we would rather be than with you on your night. But unfortunately your brother will not be able to attend this milestone. He has gone to Seattle to prepare for his upcoming employment at Seattle Grace Hospital. His friend Owen called three days ago and asked him to come to see what his new career will entail and he jumped at the chance and the first plane out of Boston. He is staying at our old house in Seattle and I am so sorry baby girl to tell you this way because I thought he would have called you and told you himself by now". I then tell my mother as I hear the melancholy in her voice at my brother's disconcern for not contacting me about his change of plans so quickly as I tell my mother and father "It's alright mama…daddy…we all knew he was going to leave us soon to begin his career in Seattle. I will call him later tonight and tell him of my good news as I congratulate him on his good news too. So then I will see you both this weekend".

I hurriedly end the call with my parents as my pager buzzes again and I run, I never walk, to the OR surgery room when my pager buzzes. Scrubbing my hands in the scrub room as I make my way into the OR and dry my hands off on a sterile towel that one of the many nurses in the OR hands me as another nurse gowns and gloves me. Walking over to stand opposite Dr. McHale as I listen to him when he begins to tell me about the patient laying on this table…this child…this little girl that has been sexually abused by her father…my thoughts of my new appointment are now gone from my mind as my only concern now is finding a way to save this little girl from the monster that she calls her daddy.

Dr. McHale along with Dr. Brennan, who is the main pediatric attending doctor on this case, and I save this little girl's life as the three of us walk out into the pediatric waiting room to inform the patient's parents. Dr. Brennan steps up to face the parents as Dr. McHale gestures for me and him to wait a step back. Dr. Brennan describes, in great detail, how this monster that has every right known to man to call himself this little eleven year old girl father viciously raped and sodomized his baby girl. That this man tortured his daughter so bad that even though the three of us doctors save her life that now her life will be filled with this one act of suffering from someone she loves. Dr. Brennan then says to the little girl's mother "You may go and see your daughter ma'am, she is in the Pediatric ICU but you sir will not be allowed to see her as long as she is my patient".

Dr. Brennan begins to turn to leave the presence of this vial man when he feels a hand grabbing his arm and spinning him back around. Before anyone one of us standing there can react to what is happening, Dr. Brennan does some sort of very cool ninja trick and pummels the father of this eleven year old rape victim to the ground.

Holding the father in some kind of choke hold as Dr. McHale and I hear Dr. Brennan whisper in the man's ear "Just want you to know that when you trial comes up that I will be the one sitting in the witness chair explaining in great detail to the jury about what you did to your daughter today. So take a long hard look at my face you worthless piece of shit because this is the face that will be sending you sorry ass to jail for hopefully the rest of you sad and miserable life. So if you want to retaliate some revenge for what I am about to do you and your life then by all means look me up and find me because I would like nothing better than to kill you myself in about a hundred different ways. Who knows, maybe if you are stupid enough to take me up on my offer, I will torture you in the same manner that you tortured that beautiful little girl".

The security officers from the hospital arrive in the nick of time before Dr. Brennan settles the score with the father with his own brand of justice. Dr. McHale and I help Dr. Brennan up off the floor as I leave the two men to discuss what just happened and take the little girl's mother to the Pediatric ICU.

This day has finally come to an end. I am sitting in my apartment, after taking a long hot shower, sipping a glass of white wine eating General Tso's chicken with white rice and broccoli. I check my phone for any messages and see that my brother has returned my voice mail message from earlier in the day as he now too has left me a voice mail message. I click on the feature on my cell phone that replays my messages as I hear his manly voice say "Hey sis, sorry I have not called you to tell you of my plans but in my defense I have been pretty busy watching and consulting on some amazing surgeries. Teddy and Owen have been wonderful helping me get settled in...especially Teddy. Mom tells me that you have some great news to share so call me back when you get a minute and we will play some catch up. I love you Arizona and miss the hell out of you so call me back when you can".

Tim answers my return call on the first ring as I hear him say "Arizona" with such enthusiasm as it makes me giggle a little and I say back to him "Hello Timothy". For the next hour and a half my brother and I talk and catch up on our fascinating lives. Because of the three hour time difference it is only seven o'clock in Seattle as my brother tells me he is getting ready to take Teddy out to dinner tonight after her shift that ends around nine. I make the sly comment "So this Teddy woman…you getting serious with her big brother"? I then hear my brother say with a hint of trepidation in his voice "Yea…me and this Teddy woman…Arizona…she makes me feel…she just makes me feel again".

Finishing off my glass of wine after talking to my brother as he arrives at Seattle Grace Hospital lobby to pick up his dinner date…the new woman in his life named Teddy…my thoughts drift off to five years ago. Five years ago when on June 9, 2001, three weeks before my big brother was due to marry the love of his life…or so he thought…his whole world came crashing to a halt. Tim's wife to be was on every news channel across the country as she and four other family and friends successfully robbed a bank but not before shooting a teller and killing her on their way out the door.

In less than twenty four hours Aimee and her two brothers and two of her brothers friends were caught by the Boston Police Department and the United States Border Patrol as they were all trying to escape into Canada. Aimee's trail lasted almost nine months as each individual member was tried separately. Each member was found guilty by a jury of their peers as the judges for each trial considered each of their sentences very carefully because during the course of each trial, not one member took responsibility for their actions in the murder of the young teller, a mother of two small children. The judges sentenced Aimee and her two brothers along with their two friends to a life of imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

My brother…my dear sweet older brother…by four years…who like the rest of Aimee's family and friends…had no clue of her and her brothers secret double lives, sat every day in that courtroom that tried and convicted his fiancé for nine months watching testimony after testimony and picture after picture and description after description as the prosecuting attorney portrayed Aimee as a cold blooded and heartless murderer. Aimee never once apologized for what she had done and she never looked at my brother the whole time he sat in that courtroom. It wasn't until the day of Aimee's sentencing that she even acknowledged him being in the same courtroom for all those months.

After the judge handed down Aimee's sentence and she was taken by the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department back to her cell to await transport to the Secure Female Facility at the United States Penitentiary in Hazelton West Virginia. But it was Aimee's mother who came up to my brother in the courtroom to hand him her daughter's engagement ring. Then on March 20th 2003, two years after Aimee was sentenced to prison and the day after President George W. Bush declared war in Iraq, my big brother joined the United States Marine Corp as a trauma surgeon.

The back of my head resting on the top of the sofa as I have drifted off to sleep when I hear the opening crescendo of the Van Morrison song "Brown Eyed Girl" blaring across my living room. I have set this song to play whenever my friend Calliope calls my phone. I rapidly collect the phone off the coffee table in front of my sofa and push the talk button as I say to my friend "Hey you, how's my favorite orthopedic surgeon tonight"? Calliope lets out a small chuckle and says "I had better be your only favorite ortho surgeon my friend".

Talking to my very good friend for the next hour or so, we talk about the cases we have been working on lately along with me telling Calliope about my brother's new place of employment and his move to Seattle. Just as we are about to end our call I almost forget to tell her about my new position at Johns Hopkins and all of the details of dinner and the official announcement a week from Saturday. With the sound of Calliope's cheering me on and wishing me well as the new chief resident of the Pediatric Surgery Department, we say our goodbyes for the evening as we both notice the clocks on our walls showing it is past midnight and we both have to be at work at six in the morning but before we hang up our phones on each other my friend says to me with so much love and admiration in her voice "I am so very proud of you Arizona".

**Saturday…January 21, 2006…The Announcement Dinner…**

Walking in to the formal dining room inside The Torres Hotel in downtown Baltimore on the arms of my mother and father as the three of us are escorted to our table is becoming a humbling experience for me. Once we arrive at our designated table I properly introduce my parents to Dr. Norman McHale and his wife Betsy and to Dr. David Brennan and his wife Jennifer. After having an exquisite dinner and even a more exciting series of conversations between the seven of us, I look around the dining room at the other professional medical staff of doctors and nurses from Johns Hopkins who are here to congratulate me on this very special achievement.

With dessert being served, my parents and I listen to the countless people telling stories about me and my journey to reach this point in my life. Then my mentor, Dr. Norman McHale stands from our table as he reaches his hand out to me from across the table and says "Ready Arizona" and I take his hand in mine and say "Yes sir, I am" as we walk towards the stage. With an array of stilled photographs being displayed on the big movie like screen behind me of me and my travels throughout my internship and residency, I stand off to the left a bit of Dr. McHale as he stands at the podium telling the audience of my adventurous journey.

Listening to my mentor speak about me and all my accomplishments on this grand stage, I take a peek at the screen behind me for a moment to look at some of the photographs. I cannot believe what I am seeing right now as I stare at the one picture that I did not even know anyone had taken. It is a picture of me and my friend Calliope Torres in Botswana. It is a simple picture…a simple picture of two women helping the children of this African country learn how to play soccer.

I totally forgot about day…this one afternoon…this day of fun that we are sharing with the healthy children of this African village of Francistown after we helped them with the virus that spread throughout their village. Then as the next picture comes into view I hear Dr. McHale say my name as he introduces me to the audience. I stand before my mentors, my peers and my colleagues as I say a heartfelt and warm "Thank you". After I finish my infamous Robbins speech to the medical staff from Johns Hopkins Hospital, I place my arm into the awaiting arm of my mentor as he leads me off the stage. Both of us are walking down the long flight of steps with the spotlight still in my eyes as I hear Dr. McHale congratulate me again on my success. Just before as we both reach the bottom of the stairs, I see this gorgeous raven haired beauty of Latin heritage in a beautiful flaming red dress as I say "Calliope" in a questioning tone.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT…SATURDAY JANUARY 21****ST**** 2006…AFTER THE DINNER CEREMONY…**

"My goodness, Dr. Calliope Torres as I live and breath. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you as I have heard so much about you from your friend here, Arizona". I hear my mentor begin a conversation with my friend because I am standing in this one spot as I have been rendered speechless at the beautiful creature standing before me. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you as well Dr. McHale. I have heard wonderful things about you too from my friend Arizona" I hear Calliope say to Dr. McHale.

The next piece of conversation I hear from my mentor as he tenderly kisses the back of my friend's hand is "Well, please come and join myself along with Arizona's parents and another doctor from my staff before this evening comes to a close. I would love to pick your brain on some different techniques about orthopedic surgery". Calliope releases her hand from Dr. McHale's and says "It would be my pleasure sir and could you tell Arizona's parents that I will have her back at the table in a few minutes". Dr. McHale nods his head yes as he makes his way back to the dinner table.

Calliope takes my hand and leads me to the first room we come to as we find an empty supply closet. Taking her face in my hands and smothering her face with kisses as I ask between kisses "What are you doing here Calliope. I am so glad to see you but what the hell are you doing here"? My friend grabs a hold of my hips pulling me closer into her embrace and kisses me so hard that I stop with the peppering of her face with kisses and enjoy the deep passionate kiss I am receiving.

With Calliope's tongue tracing my bottom lip and entering my mouth I am now taking in the pleasure of her soft wet fervent kiss as our tongues duel it out for dominance. When breathing becomes an issue as my friend's kiss takes my breath away, stay in the comfort of Calliope's embrace as I whisper in her ear "So, what brings you to Baltimore and into my arms"? My friend kisses me again and then says "How could I not take this glorious opportunity to help you celebrate your promotion with your family and friends". All of a sudden I push myself from Calliope's grasp and shout out loud "Oh my Calliope…my parents".

I place my hand in Arizona's as she begins to walk us out of the empty supply closet that I found but then she stops in her tracks abruptly with me running into her back. My friend turns to face me as she kisses me deeply and says "By the way Calliope, you look very hot and sexy in that dress but I know for a fact that you will look even hotter and sexier out of it. It is going to be my pleasure to slowly remove that gorgeous dress off your body later". I pull my friend back into me and kiss her just as deeply as I did before then I say to her in my best sexiest voice "You are such a sweet talker, baby".

Back at the dinner table my friend pulls out my chair for me as I sit and am introduced to Arizona's parents Daniel and Barbara. With my attention of the conversation suddenly being shifted from both Barbara and Daniel to the two doctor's that are Arizona's bosses, I see out of the corner of my eye that Mrs. Robbins lets out a very hefty yawn. The two good doctor's excuse themselves from our presence as their wives quietly inform them that it is getting late. Then with Arizona's parents along with myself and their daughter leave the formal dining room and make our way out to the lobby, I am thinking that I am not going to spend the night with my dear friend. But as luck would have it I am completely wrong as Barbara says "Now that your bosses are gone sweetie, what do you say the four of us grab a table in the hotel bar and get to know each other a little better".

My husband and my daughter are off to the bar to retrieve Dr. Calliope Torres and I some drinks as we both sit at a table in the hotel bar at The Torres Hotel here in downtown Baltimore. Our discussion begins with me asking Dr. Torres "So I see your last name is on this hotel. Are you in the hotel business as well as being an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Torres"? I listen to this beautiful woman laugh a little as she says "No ma'am, my father is in the hotel business not me. My desire and concentration is in the medical field because I am simply not interested in my father's business Mrs. Robbins".

I gently place my hands over my daughter's friend's hands and say "Please call me Barbara because Daniel's mother is the real Mrs. Robbins and you may call Arizona's father Daniel. We are very personable people and do not really care for formalities of the Mr. And Mrs. name calling". Dr. Torres squeezes my hands in hers and says politely to me "Thank you Barbara and you and your husband may call me Callie because Dr. Torres seems too formal for me sometimes too". We both share a smile and a laugh as our significant others finally make their way to our table with our drinks.

Lt. Col. Daniel Timothy Robbins is a military man for over the last forty years and has only recently retired from active duty. He would like to be "The Colonel" by everyone in his attendance but his wife Barbara insists to me that does not need to really happen. I am still a little weary about calling him Daniel as his wife told me I could earlier but due to my proper upbringing and respect for my elders I just call him Mr. Robbins. He seems to like this so that is what I am going to call him until I know him better. I feel my friend's hand resting on my thigh giving me an occasional caress every once in a while letting me know that she is encouraging me and making me feel at home with her parents.

Mr. Robbins flags down a server as he orders some late night appetizers asking me if I have eaten anything since I left Miami. I tell this father of my friend "No sir, I have not eaten since I left Miami. Thank you for thinking about me and thank you both for being so kind. I can see where your daughter gets her politeness…her manners and her respect from. You both are truly wonderful people". I then see Arizona's mother grab her napkin as she dabs her eyes and says "Oh stop sweetie, you're making me cry with your kindness". Arizona hugs me saying to her mother "That's my girl, mama".

The four of us close down the hotel bar as Calliope takes this opportunity to make a good impression to my parents when she asks the front desk for two rooms so we may spend the night. My father tries to be adamant about taking a cab back to my apartment but Calliope will not take no for an answer. She orders the hotel staff to place two pairs of pajamas in each of the rooms to accommodate the four of us. Then she turns to say to me and my parents "I will reserve a table for tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. for all of us to have breakfast if that is alright with the three of you".

My father says respectively "That will be fine Callie, now if you both will excuse my wife and I as we are going to enjoy your hospitality. See you both in the morning and hope you both have a good night". Kissing my mother and father goodnight I then watch both of my parents take my friend into their arms as they too kiss her and hug her goodnight. Once Calliope and I walk my parents to their hotel room, with a promise to see them in the morning for breakfast, my friend and I make our way to our hotel room.

Calliope has me pinned against the hotel room door as I slide the zipper, to the fabulous looking red dress I have ever seen that she is wearing, down slowly while my friend is sending her tongue deep down my throat in the most sensual kiss that she has ever given me and we are both moaning in each others mouths. My friend takes a step back from me when oxygen becomes apparent for the two of us as her dress falls off her body and pools at her feet on the floor.

I stand in front of her in amazement as I see her completely naked underneath. I whisper to her "Oh my Calliope, you are so full of surprises tonight" as I wrap my hands around her waist and both hands venture down to her ass cheeks squeezing each of them gently. My friend…my friend with benefits…is wearing absolutely nothing under her flaming red dress as I move our bodies together until Calliope's knees come in contact with the very gigantic king sized bed and the two of us fall into this comfortable piece of furniture. My friend makes good use of her hands too as she unzips my dress and slides it off my body. Then we begin our perfect night of making love to one another over and over again.

The bright winter sunshine has invaded this magnificent hotel suite that my friend and I are sharing when I feel Calliope move across my chest that she has fallen asleep upon. Brushing back her incredible mound of sex hair off her gorgeous face just as she looks up at me and says "Baby, have I ever told you how good you make me feel"? I smile as I turn both of us on our sides so we may face each other and place a very well meaning kiss on my friend's lips then I say to her "The feeling is so mutual my dear Calliope".

Kissing my friend is once again one of the best feelings that we share but then I see by the clock on the nightstand that my friend and I have about ninety minutes before we are due downstairs for breakfast with my parents. Before Calliope and I take this feeling that is building up between the two of us to another level I suggest to my wildly sex haired friend "Why don't we continue this in the shower because we need to leave this fantastic room in less that 90 minutes". Calliope races out of the bed we have just shared this past night as she is the first one in the shower and calling my name out loud. By the time I make my way to the shower door my friend is staring at me and laughing hysterically as she says to me "Great sex hair, baby" and it is on…it is so on.

Taking my parents and my friend to the airport as they are traveling back to their home destinations is harder than I ever thought it could be. But knowing that the three of them are only a phone call away whenever I need them is somewhat satisfying in my mind. Calliope and I walk my parents to their gate as we all kiss and hug each other goodbye with my mother holding onto my friend for a little longer than normal as I hear her whisper in my friend's ear "She likes you…she really likes you" and my friend whispers back to my mama "I really like her too, Barbara…I really…really do".

This small but meaningful gesture of words from my two favorite women in the world right now almost brings me to tears. One last hug and kiss from my mama and daddy as we hear their final boarding call and these two people that have been by my side my entire life walk away from me when my mama turns to wave one more time to her baby girl and the waterworks begin to fall down my face as my friend holds me tight. Then with the tears still flowing down my face, I say goodbye to my friend for now as I say to her "We'll see each other again real soon" and with one final kiss my Calliope is gone.

**FRIDAY EVENING…MARCH 3, 2006…CALLIOPE VISITS FOR A WEEK…**

I am running out of the OR and making my way to the residence locker room to shower and leave the hospital to drive to the airport to pick up my friend Calliope. It has been a little over five weeks since we have seen each other even though we have talked on the phone and through our computers frequently, seeing each other in person is so much more fun and exciting. My friend has texted me before she boarded her plane in Miami, but I was in surgery, to tell me that her plane will land at approximately 9 p.m.

The digital clock on my dashboard inside my Jeep is saying that it is 8:37 p.m. as I park my vehicle in the parking garage at the airport. Running inside the airport to the awaiting schedule of arrivals listing, I stand for a moment to find my friend's airline information. Looking overhead to find the best passageway to the arrival gate, I begin to run again. Making my way to where my Calliope's plane has just pulled up to the gate, I stand there waiting with all the anticipation of a kid on Christmas morning. Then it happens…I lock eyes with my friend and run up into her arms as my feet leave the ground and wrap around her body. Calliope holds onto me for dear life as we spin in place and then kiss each other passionately. With too many onlookers taking in our wonderful display of affection, I kiss my friend again and slide down her body and say "Hey there you".

Gathering my friend's luggage and placing it in my Jeep, we both climb inside as I weave my way through the Friday night traffic. Calliope says to me while we are sitting at a red light "Oh my Arizona, do you realize that this is the first time I am going to your home for an extended stay…Oh I'm so excited". I decide this is a good time as any to tell my friend about the surprise I have in store for her as I say to Calliope "Yea, about that…we're not exactly staying at my place this week. I've decided to have my apartment painted this week while you and I enjoy some quality alone time at The Four Seasons Hotel and Spa. I also have courtside tickets to the Philadelphia 76er's and Miami Heat basketball game on Sunday afternoon and then next week is filled with some sightseeing tours here in Baltimore and WashingtonD.C. I hope that I have not overstepped any boundaries but I just thought that we could do some things together and get to know each other better".

Calliope just smiles at me after my mini Robbins rant and says to me calmly "I would love to enjoy this week that you have planned for just the two of us and yes my friend I would love to get to know you better too…but I do have some good news to share with you first…so can we find a place to eat some dinner…or maybe we can just go to the hotel and order some room service in bed". Four Seasons Hotel and Spa here we come to enjoy for the next week.

Gazing around this exceptional hotel suite that my friend has found for the two of us to share with an amazing week together I am perplexed about what I must tell Arizona about my good news and when is the exact right time. I kiss the top of the head of this beautiful sleeping form that fits so well with my body as my very gorgeous friend begins to stir. I kiss her forehead this time because her face is sweetly nestled on my chest as I hear her hum to my kisses.

Raising her face off of the valley between my breasts as I kiss her nose and she looks deep into my eyes and says with so much love in her voice "Hmmm that feels nice". Waiting for Arizona to completely wake up and take notice of me, I do not have to wait long before her lips find mine and we share a very sensual kiss. Turning our bodies one hundred and eighty degrees in this massive bed so that I am lying on top of my friend and somewhat pinning her underneath me because I think this is a good time to tell her my startling good news seeing that I have her right where I want her and she cannot run away from me. With Arizona's giggling laughter filling the silence in our suite I say "I need to talk to you about my plans, honey".

Lying in bed with my friend…my best friend…as she is covetingly my body…I lay here and listen to my Calliope tell me her good…I mean great news about her future. Showing me over a dozen acceptance letters she has received from different hospitals across this great country of ours, I see her excitement and enthusiasm about where the direction her career is taking her just by the way she is speaking to me. I also see that this is her way of saying goodbye to me through all of her animation of her prepared speech.

My friend Calliope Torres has never been one for public speaking but when we are together we can say anything we want to each other because we both know one simple fact and that is that no matter where our lives take each of us in our futures…we will always be there for each other. So with every ounce of energy and courage I have in my body I keep my tears at bay as I smile my best smile with my dimples glowing as I hear my friend say finally say to me "Arizona, I have decided to begin and complete my residency at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital. I leave on April 30th". I take my hands and cover my friend's face as I draw her into a very passionate kiss that tells her in that one moment…in that one special kiss…how proud I truly am of her and of her declaration for her future.

Lying in bed with my Arizona I feel with every kiss, every hug and especially with every way we make love to each other over the next week that she is beyond a shadow of a doubt happy for me and my pronouncement of my upcoming career change. Even though I know that these moments that we have shared over the last six months will now become more few and far between, I feel our friendship will continue to last our entire life. We share all the laughter as well as all the tears but most importantly we share all the craziness and insanity that makes Arizona and I who we are while we tour these two great cities of Baltimore and WashingtonD.C.

With all the expected sightseeing tours destinations of Washington D.C. complete we both make our way Baltimore's art museums, the famous B&O railroad museum but the most spectacular sight to see was the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum. During our visit to Baltimore I found out that Arizona and I share the love of the works of Edgar Allan Poe so when she suggested that we go to the cemetery where he is buried after our visit to his home and museum, I fall a little more in love with her during my visit but I am keeping that feeling to myself…for now…but maybe someday I will tell her how I actually feel…just not today.

Watching my friend checking to make sure she has everything before she boards her flight to Miami is just another thing I am going to miss about Calliope Torres. Standing to face me with the hint of tears in her eyes I shake my head no and then my friend takes me in her arms and I fall to pieces. Then my friend says to me to help me make sense of it all…to help us both make sense of it all "I know that Seattle is twice the distance from Baltimore than Miami is but Arizona we can do this…we can do this long distance thing together". Knowing that what Calliope has just said to me is total bullshit I also know that if I tell her how I feel then I will never let her get on this plane and leave me.

Kissing Arizona is the best part of this friendship that we are sharing right now in our lives but kissing Arizona goodbye for an unforeseen amount of time…not so much. Wiping the tears off my friend's face with the touch of my thumb as I press my forehead to hers and say in a whisper "I will call you when I land back in Miami and we will continue to talk even after I leave for Seattle at the end of April". The flight attendant nudges my arm and says "Dr. Torres, we need to board the aircraft now". I kiss my friend passionately one last time and push myself away from her body crying as I run down the jet way to the airplane. I make a conscious decision not to look back at my Arizona because this is tearing me apart inside. Why can't I have it all…me and Arizona…and my career in Seattle?

No one ever said making choices would be easy…and that is what life really is…making choices…


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N...Just wanted to let everyone know that this will my last chapter...for a little while...but never fear...I will be back soon...I am just moving across the state and won't have internet access for about a week...so be patient...be thoughtful...and begin leaving your comments about this chapter!**

**CHAPTER NINE…THANKSGIVING DAY…NOVEMBER 23, 2006…BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS.**

The past six months have been brutal on me…and here today…at my parent's Thanksgiving Day dinner table…my mother wants everyone to say what they are thankful for this past year. She starts with herself saying "Even though our son Timothy cannot be here with all of us today…I am grateful for his return home from Iraq". Then my father begins to speak as his turn is next. The advantage of this little soiree conversation is that since this talking session started with my mother and working its way around the left side of the dinner table that my turn will be last so I at least have a chance to think of what to say because truthfully…I am not sure I have anything thankful to say to my relatives…but then I see her.

Calliope and I have had conversations over the phone and on our computers but since she moved to Seattle over six months ago, our time together has become rather distant. I knew deep down inside that things would change between the two of us once she left Miami and followed her dream to Seattle but I just never expected it to hurt this much. So I sit here and watch my family talk about what they are thankful for and I honestly cannot think of one fucking thing I am thankful for this year but then I see her smile at me and my heart melts. I am so dreading my turn that is about to come up soon…just two more folks…and then it's my turn…Yea…but then she speaks about her life…and we all listen to every word…about her cancer…and about her reaching her second year as a survivor.

Then my turn to tell what I am thankful for arrives and I stand and look across this family dinner table and all I can say is "I love you all from the bottom of my heart". Then as I look at my favorite aunt and raise my wine glass high in the air "I love you Aunt Jodi and you too Uncle Kevin. I am thankful for spending this wonderful time with the two of you this weekend as you, my Aunt Jodi, as we all here tonight share and celebrate the beginning of your second year of being cancer free". Everyone stand and raises their glass to my aunt and uncle as my father says "Here…Here".

After the Thanksgiving Day feast has been eaten, the leftovers have been placed in their respective containers and put in the fridge, the dishes have been washed, dried and placed back in the cupboard and all of this day's guests have gone home with the exception of Aunt Jodi and Uncle Kevin. My mother and father and I along with my aunt and uncle put on our winter outdoor garments as we all take a walk into the cold night Boston air. With a path being flawlessly carved out on the landscape of the two lawns that connect each other to one another, the five people of my family begin their walk to my aunt and uncle's home as we talk and share this wonderful completion to this evening.

My mother and my aunt tell me about the way they have bordered this glorious pathway that my father and uncle designed for them with all kinds of different flowers and small bushes in the spring. With some of the remnants of the small bushes still in effect in the snow covered walkway, both women tell me of their handy work and their green thumb as it delights me to no end to see the smile on my Aunt Jodi face and hear the pleasure in her voice as she describes her time spent these last two years with her sister. I have to think, for a moment, what would have happened to her enthusiasm, her will to live and her ability to fight this awful disease if my mama and daddy had not come back to Boston to live and to be with my aunt in her time of need. I will be forever grateful to my parent's decision for their move across this great country as it has brought out the fighter in my aunt.

Sharing a cup of hot cocoa in the kitchen of my aunt and uncle's home with my family with a hint of holiday spice in the air takes me back to when Tim and I were children and we got to spend some quality time in this house when my parents went out of town. My mind wanders back to happier times when our aunt and uncle taught my brother and I how to play some musical instruments and our aunt taught us both how to sing. Thinking I am humming to myself my favorite Christmas tunes "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and We Three Kings" but when I hear my Aunt Jodi's angelic voice begin to sing the words out loud, I come realize that I was humming these song a little too loud for my own good.

With Aunt Jodi's voice taking the lead vocal as she sings these traditional Christmas songs in the way of The Bare Naked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan version with the four of us taking a harmonic and a rhythmic back seat tone to my aunt's beautiful voice, we all sing and shout this favorite Christmas song of mine from inside my aunt and uncle's home as no one has noticed that my Uncle Kevin has set up his video camera to record our family time together. Then the five of us partake in a couple of different board games as our evening comes to a close. With the promise from my mama to my aunt and uncle stating the three of us will be back a five a.m. to pick them up to go Christmas shopping on Black Friday, I kiss my aunt and uncle goodnight as the three of us walk back to our home along this glorious pathway that was built with love by the four of them.

By the clock and the date on the bottom right hand corner of my father's computer, it is now 3:32 a.m. on November 24, 2006. I cannot sleep as I know that my parents and I are about to engage in this very expensive Christmas ritual of going shopping the day after Thanksgiving. But right now, at this time of the morning, I am checking my emails on my father's computer as I have just finished reading one email in particular from my friend Calliope. Reading this one meticulously written email description of how my friend spent her Thanksgiving holiday makes me kind of sad. Then I hear the sound of someone rustling in the kitchen and I know for a fact that my mother is up and awake. Then I smell the faint smell of coffee brewing and hear the oven door open and close. But it is when I hear the soft footsteps coming from the kitchen down the hall I quickly close the email that I have open.

Placing this email in the folder I have marked "Calliope", I turn in my seat to see my mother's smiling face as I hear her say "Good morning, baby girl". I try to put on my best smile for my mama after being saddened by my friend's latest email but this woman before me…my mama…knows me better than I know myself as she asks me with so much love in her voice "What's wrong my sweet baby girl"? I offer my mama a seat next to me as I tell her about the events that have happened in my life lately. Then I let her read the latest email that my friend Calliope has sent me from Seattle. When my mama finishes her reading all she can says is "I am so sorry Arizona. I know what Callie has meant to you since you both have come home from Africa. I do not know what to advise you or tell you to do my sweet girl in this situation. Do you think, in hindsight now, not telling her how you really fell about her was the right move on both of your parts because I am positively sure that she loves you too"?

Before I can even think of an answer or even respond to my mother's question we both hear the one single clap of my father's hands together as he enters his study and says "So, how are the two favorite women in my life on this glorious morning"? I hear my mama giggle at my father and I think how the sound mirrors my own giggle as I close the email once again. Then I see that I have received an email from Uncle Kevin entitled "Our Thanksgiving Day Video" and I open it and then tell my parents to come and watch with me. My father takes the seat that my mama recently vacated as my mother sits on his lap and he wraps both of his favorite women in his big strong military arms. I push play as the three of us watch my Aunt Jodi and my Uncle Kevin begin the video with a speech.

Aunt Jodi begins by saying "To our favorite nephew, Timothy Daniel Robbins the second, your uncle and I along with some of our family members would like to say hello to you as we all wish you a Happy Thanksgiving Day in Seattle". Then Uncle Kevin says "We know that you cannot be with us on this holiday but we want to reassure you that you are sorely missed today but we all respect your decision to stay and help those who are sick and in need of your special talent as a trauma surgeon. You are truly blessed my son not only for your talent as a surgeon but for the love this family has for you and you have for us in all of our hearts".

Then my uncle brushes away an offending tear as my aunt completes their introduction to the video by once again speaking as she says "We love you Timothy and here is the rest of your family telling you that simple fact. Hopefully we will see you at Christmastime but for today I want to say a big…**Hoo…rah!**…because for the first time in NFL history a third football game was added to the Thanksgiving Day lineup tonight…and who in this family does not love some Thanksgiving Day football as you will see later in this video with our family playing outside in our annual fall winter classic. We love you Tim with all of our hearts…stay safe my son".

My dad is the first to speak after the three of us watch the video when he says "Well ladies, that Jodi and Kevin sure have a way with words and they both make a pretty good video for our baby boy". My mama and I wipe a few tears away that have trickled down our faces as my mama says "The coffee and cinnamon rolls should be done by now so we probably need to eat something before we head out shopping". The three of us leave my father's study and make our way throughout the house to grab some cups of coffee to eat the freshly baked rolls and get ready to go and pick up my aunt and uncle.

Fifteen hours later…fifteen frickin hours later… Fifteen hours of shopping with eating lunch in between stores and having some dinner together with my aunt and uncle before we called it a night. My mama along my father and I walk back into our home dropping all the packages be bought today along the wayside and then the next thing we all do together is plant our tired and sore asses on the large sofa in the living room propping our aching feet on the coffee table. Mama usually does not like anyone to place their feet there but today she makes an exception. With each of us taking a long sighing breath, one after the other, I say very sternly to my parents "For as long as I live I am never doing that shit again". My mama and daddy laugh out loud at me as my daddy says "Amen, baby girl".

My parents and I share an after dinner piece of my mama's homemade apple pie as we talk a little then I excuse my tired ass self to take a hot bath and go off to bed. I gather up my portion of presents that I purchased today because I will wrap them before I leave on Sunday so they are here to place under my parent's tree and so they can be opened on Christmas Day by my relatives. I told my mama and daddy when I arrived two days ago for this holiday that I will not be joining my family for Christmas in Boston because I have agreed with Dr. McHale and Dr. Brennan to share this holiday with my family so they may enjoy the holidays with their families on Christmas Day. Both doctors' are taking their families on a destination vacation for Christmas this year.

The digital clock on my nightstand reads 9:32 p.m. as I laugh at myself thinking that it is way too early for me to be going to bed at this hour on a Friday night. In my world lately it seems that I never get to bed before midnight but after the day I have just had a nice warm comfy bed sounds like a wonderful idea. After a long hot bath I am lying in my bed under the covers trying to stay warm as I am checking my emails. I see that Calliope has left e two emails and according to my phone she has left me a voice message too. I push the listen button on my phone as I hear her voice message to me as she says "Arizona, please call me back when you get this message. I know you are still upset with me about what I told you last week but can we just talk about it please. I also want to know how your holiday turned out and I want to tell you about mine. Please baby, call me back".

Frankly I don't want to call my friend back because all I can think about this weekend and since last week is how Calliope told me that she has met someone. This someone is a second year intern named George O'Malley. My friend has decided to spend her Thanksgiving Day today with him and his family in Seattle to get to know him better. From what Calliope has told me it seems that this new friend of hers has failed his intern exam while he was at Seattle Grace Hospital so he has left that program and his former friends and colleagues behind and has taken the opportunity to try his hand at becoming a surgeon at Seattle Presbyterian Hospital where he has met my friend Calliope. How can I really dislike a fellow doctor that I have not even met yet or am I really just the jealous type?

Debating about this matter in my head trying to convince myself what I should do when I decide not to do anything tonight but go to sleep. I place my phone on my charger on the nightstand as I place my laptop back on top of my desk in my bedroom I drift off to sleep. Opening one sleepy eye when I hear the aberrant noise that my phone is making as I see the smiling face of my brother on the screen I answer the phone and say "What could you possible want at this hour Tim"? My brother's laughter fills the silent air in my bedroom as I hear him say "What the hell are you doing asleep at eleven o'clock on a Friday night dear sister? Besides it's only eight o'clock Seattle time". I roll onto my back as I am now wide awake and say to my big brother "Well since our mama and our Aunt Jodi insisted that all five of us all go Christmas shopping at the butt crack before dawn this morning, I am kind of tired so that is why I am in bed so early. What about you my dear brother…how was your holiday"?

My big brother and I talk for quite a while before he says to me "Arizona, I have to ask you something special and serious so please tell me the truth". I tell my brother suspiciously "I always tell you the truth Tim. Since when don't I tell you the truth"? I hear my brother take a deep breath before he says anything else to me because I know he is being cautious about telling me something. Then Tim speaks again as he says "Arizona, I want your opinion on something. I have ten days of vacation time that I just found out I have to use before the end of the year. I want to know what you think about me asking Teddy to join me for Christmas in Boston. I want her to meet mama and daddy and the rest of our family. I know that you are not able to come home for Christmas this year so I would also like to know if you think it is alright for me to ask Teddy to come to Baltimore to meet you too"?

I tell my brother that I would be honored to meet Teddy and that our parents would too. I make him a promise not to tell our parents about him bringing Teddy to Christmas in Boston next month. Tim tells me that Teddy will be home soon, as he has made dinner for the two of them, and I tell him that when he definitely knows the specific details of his plans to give me a call. My brother tells me that he will talk it over with his girlfriend, as he slips and calls her that while he is talking to me, and he will get back to me asap. I tell him that will be fine but that I am going to do some more shopping with our mama and our aunt again in the morning so if I do not answer my phone just leave me a message about their plans. My brother tells me he loves me as I do the same to him as we say goodnight.

Without me even looking at the caller ID on my phone, thinking that it is Tim calling me back with the details of his upcoming visit for Christmas to Boston, I place the phone to my ear and ask my brother in my most jokingly voice "So big brother did you convince that girlfriend of yours to meet the family yet"? There is a moment of silence as say "Tim" and then I move my phone from my ear to see who has just called me as I see my friend's smiling face back at me. I whisper the word "shit" as I hear Calliope say "Arizona" in her hurt but sweet voice. I place the phone back to my ear and say "Hey" and my friend says "Hey" back to me. Calliope begins to say "Arizona, can we just have a conversation please. Can we just talk about the changes in our lives because no matter what happens from now on I still want to be your friend and I want you to be mine"?

Is she really fucking serious about this shit right now? She wants to talk about the changes in our lives. Please tell me I just did not hear her say that to me. Changes…the same changes that she has made…she has made all on her own…because I'm still here…she left me to travel to Seattle…she left me…she left me. These are my selfish thoughts going through my head right now while I am on the phone with my friend. Then I hear my mother's voice call up to me to tell me she is ready to leave. That is when I say to Calliope "I would live to talk to you but my mama is awaiting for me because we are going shopping. I'm sorry Callie but I need to leave right now". I smack myself in the head as I just realized that I called my friend "Callie". I have never called her by her nickname and I wonder if she even noticed my mistake…my callous dreadful mistake.

"Callie"…she has never called me Callie…even when I told her that my father was the only person to call me Calliope…She has always called me Calliope…and I have let her because I love the way it sounds rolling off her tongue and from her mouth…but now she calls me "Callie". I take in an intake of air as I say to my friend "Callie huh" and then I continue to say to Arizona "I understand that this weekend is a family weekend for you. But I ask you to take a moment to promise me that you will call me back. I want to talk to you more about our situation and what has been happening with my life. So please Arizona, promise me you will call me back"? I listen and wait for my friend to say something and then I hear her say to me "Calliope, I am so sorry for calling you Callie and I would love to talk to you about everything. Just let me get through this weekend with my family and I will call you as soon as I arrive back in Baltimore. I miss you deeply and I especially miss our talks so please give me some time". I tell me friend "I will wait for your call when get back home. And I accept your apology for the use of my nickname. I will talk to you soon my friend" as we both end our phone conversation.

**SUNDAY…NOVEMBER 26, 2006…HEADING BACK HOME TO BALTIMORE MARYLAND**

My parents have dropped me off at the airport as I sit and wait to board my plane to Baltimore. With a severe winter storm looming over Canada and a threat of a winter snow storm warning heading towards Boston, I change my flight from leaving later tonight to first thing this morning. My phone rings in my coat pocket as I see my brother's face on the screen and I quickly answer my phone. Telling Tim "Yea I thought it would be better to get out of dodge before the snow hits Boston". Tim then replies "Yea mama told me that she and dad just dropped you off at the airport when I called to tell them of my Christmas plans. Arizona, Teddy is joining me on my trip home. She and I are flying out of Seattle on December 22nd and staying in Boston for a week. Then we will fly to New York and stay three days with Teddy's family and then fly to Baltimore to see you for a couple of days. We have to be back in Seattle by the 4th of January. So you got some time to spend with your big brother and his girlfriend after the first of the year"?

I smile my big Robbins smile back into my phone as I say "Yes I do Timothy". We talk some more about semantics of my brother's travel plans as we both make notes in our calendars on our phones for me to make sure that I am off the three days Tim and Teddy are coming to see me. Tim tells me how he and his girlfriend watched the video that our aunt and uncle made for him and how seeing our Aunt Jodi looking all healthy and shit really made him happy and homesick at the same time. Then we talk about the annual Thanksgiving Day family football game.

Tim has missed the last three annual games because two of the three years were due to his tour in the Marines and then this year's with him moving to Seattle. He laughs about my roadblock tackle of our cousin Steven as he was trying to run for a touchdown when he says "You do remember Arizona it is touch football and not tackle. But you did me proud by taking out that ass of a cousin of ours". I laugh to as I say "Well Steve was being his arrogant typical self by saying that girls should not be playing a man's game. So I had to show him who was boss". We both laugh again as I hear my flight beginning to board. I tell my brother "I'll see you and Teddy after the first of the year. You both have a wonderful Christmas and New Year in New York. Take lots of pictures of Times Square and I love you Tim".

The first thing I do when I walk into my apartment after arriving home in Baltimore is put my luggage away then I sit on my comfy sofa and place a phone call to my friend. Checking the time of day first to make sure that I do not call too early because of the three hour time difference between our cities, my friend says a groggily "Hello" into my phone. I quickly ask "Oh my goodness Calliope, have I called too early"? But my friend says in a hurry "No…No Arizona…I need to be getting up anyways. How are you? I guess you survived your holiday weekend". I chuckle a little and say "I am fine Calliope and yes I did survive my holiday with my family that even included our annual family football game. How about you…how are you doing? You seem to be adjusting well to the move to Seattle". I hear my friend rustling around in the background as I say "Calliope"?

I stop moving around as I hear my friend say my name as I sit up straighter in my bed as I say "Sorry Arizona, just trying to get comfortable by sitting up to talk to you". Then after a brief silence I say to my friend "Where do I begin"? Hearing my Arizona say "Why don't you start by telling me about you and George and how you both met"? I tell my friend about how George and I first met when he arrived to SeattlePresbyterianHospital. Being a mostly one sided conversation on my part as I continue to tell Arizona about my falling in love with George and spending the last six months with him and how we shared this Thanksgiving Day with his family. I go into great detail about my love affair as I ask every once in a while to my friend if she is still listening and she replies "Hmm". Then when I finally finish telling Arizona about my recent love story I ask her "Are you alright, Arizona"? My friend asks me "You love him Calliope"? And when I say "Yes…yes I do, Arizona" I hear my friend begin to cry and I say "I am so sorry Arizona, I never meant to hurt you please believe me when I tell you that was never my intention but you said we were just friends and then I met George". Arizona says with such tearfulness in her voice "I am happy for you Calliope…really I am".


	10. Chapter 10

**I'M BACK! SEE I WASN'T GONE THAT LONG AND NOW HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER FOR EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR WAITING ANXIOUSLY...HOPE YOU ENJOY!**

**CHAPTER 10…NEW YEAR'S DAY…JANUARY 1, 2007…BALTIMORE MARYLAND**

Sitting at Gate 24 waiting on my brother and his girlfriend to walk off their plane from New York that has just arrived I hear my cell phone buzz stating that I have a new email. Checking my email account and finding a shocking new email sent from a Las Vegas Nevada hotel room as and say "What the fuck" way too loud for my own good. Looking around me as I see that some people have stopped dead in their tracks to stare at me and I try to silently apologize to the spectators of my sudden outburst of swear words. Then as I read the email further I mumble the word "Unbelievable" but then I hear my brother call out my name. Realizing that I forgot all about the two of them and their arrival in Baltimore because I am so obsessed with this offensive email that I have received, I swiftly close my phone and grab a hold of my brother's neck and give him a big Robbins hug and kiss.

With Tim's introduction of me to Teddy and vice versa complete, the three of us make our way out into the cold winter weather that has consumed Baltimore lately. Showing Tim and Teddy to my guest bedroom I ask them "Is it alright if we order a pizza for dinner because as you know Tim I do not cook"? With everybody agreeing to pizza for dinner, I call and order our food. I see that I have received another email from Calliope but I choose to turn off my phone and place it on the charger in my bedroom so I may concentrate on my brother and his girlfriend's visit. With all three of us congregating in my living room, we sit and talk some more so Teddy and I can get to know each other. After inhaling a whole extra large pizza and drinking a twelve pack of beer between the three of us my brother jumps up off the sofa and screams "Sis, I have to show you our video of New Year's Eve in New York City". Teddy and I watch my brother run down the hallway to the guest bedroom to retrieve his camcorder.

I wake up in this big expensive hotel room king sized bed with my new beautiful mother to be sleeping and snoring softly beside me and I think I have done something good with my life…finally. I kiss my girlfriend on the tip of her nose as she squirms beneath me and begins to awaken. I brush back the gorgeous raven hair off her face as I kiss her lips and say "Good morning to you Callie, you are glowing by the way. Since we're in Vegas…Do you think we should go ahead and get married since we are having a baby?" Then Callie wakes up to find me staring back at her as she seemingly stutters and asks me "What…what did you say George"? I kiss her again and say "I said good morning to the mother of my child and asked if you wanted to get married?" Then I hear my girlfriend in a whisper asking herself "Oh…my…god…what have I done…what have we done"? Watching Callie jump up off the bed and begin to scream "What have we done George"? I too jump off this comfortable bed as I grab a hold of her and say into her scared face "Breath Callie…just breath". Sitting Callie down at the table in our hotel room I say to her "You told me yesterday that you were pregnant. So I thought we could use some time alone together to figure out what we wanted to do. We hopped on a plane to Vegas last night to talk about our future". Callie looks up at me with tears in her eyes as she asks me "What about my family? How am I going to tell them"?

Callie is in the shower as I think that it is best right now to give her some space. I try to think of someway to tell her parents for her because she is scared to death of what they will think of us getting pregnant this way. I open up Callie's laptop that she brought with us as I find her address book of contacts. Thinking that maybe Callie's parents may have a sense of humor about the whole ordeal, I decide to ease my girlfriend's pain a bit by sending her mother and father a picture of the two of us here in Vegas with my hand spread out over Callie's stomach. Once I choose one of many pictures in the collection, I write a caption at the bottom saying "She's having my baby…What a lovely way of telling me how much you love me". Then I put today's date along the bottom of the page. I hit the send button and hope my girlfriend will be alright with what I have just done. I hear the water turn off as I make my way to the bathroom to take a shower.

George walks past me with the biggest smile on his face as he enters the shower. I walk back out into the hotel room and grab the hotel phone to order us some breakfast. I see that my computer is open and on as I stare at a picture of the two of us on his screen. I walk closer to the computer screen and see what he has just done. I take my laptop off the table and run to the bathroom as I scream "What did you do George…what the hell did you just do"? Wiping off his body with a hotel towel as he makes his way out of the shower George says to me "I thought maybe I would send your parents our picture to tell them of our new bundle of joy so you did not have to. I just thought that maybe this would be better for you if they heard it from me. What did I do that was so wrong Callie"? I ask my boyfriend "Did you pay any attention to the people that you sent this message to George"? With the confused and puzzled look gracing George's face, I realize that he did not. I say to him again "Well, when you hit the send button my dear you sent this message to everyone in my contacts address book…everyone. So not only did you send it to my parents but you sent it to everyone I know and everyone we both know". George falls into the chair by the bedside automatically as I hear him shockingly say "Holy shit".

For the rest of New Year's Day here in Las Vegas, I sit in our hotel room and try to calm down everybody that calls my phone after receiving George's astonishing message with our photo. My mother can not even talk to me as my father tells me how she is inconsolable about all of this and he says to me "How could you do this Calliope? What were you thinking? You have only known this man for a little less than half a year"? I cannot even answer my father right now but I am surprised by what my father says next. "Are you really pregnant Calliope? I shake my head in disgust at my life right now as I say to my father "Yes daddy, I am pregnant". Four hours later after fielding all sorts of calls from friends and family, I sit and think about all the people that I have talked too and I realize that the one person that I have not talked to is the one person I've wanted to talk to all day. George has left the hotel room to get some air as I dial the number of the one person I need to explain myself too but her phone instantly goes to voice mail without even ringing. Then I know in my heart of hearts that Arizona has turned off her phone so she does not have to talk to me about what George has done today. I leave Arizona a message begging her to return my call as soon as she gets my message. Then all I can think to say to her is "I am sorry Arizona…I am so deeply…deeply sorry".

Tim comes flying back in the living room with the camcorder in hand. Teddy and I continue our talk while my brother finishes what he is doing. Then he pushes play on the camcorder and he and Teddy are on my TV screen standing in Times Square in the heart of New York City. With Tim doing most of the commentating as he and Teddy walk around this people packed event as different people say "Happy New Year" into the camera. Tim turns the camera around to show him and Teddy wrapped up in each others arms when the crowd goes wild as the big red apple begins to descend downward. My brother and his girlfriend shout out loud along with the rest of the crowd around them as the countdown to the New Year begins. Then Tim holds the camera an arms length away and turns it toward his girlfriend as he tells her he loves her and kiss her when the countdown reaches its end. I brush back a single tear sliding down my cheek as I remember last New Year's Eve when I kissed my Calliope at the stroke of midnight. Teddy sees that I am having a hard time with their display of affection as she quietly asks her boyfriend to stop the video and Tim rises from his seat to do what he is asked of him.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I did not mean to bring your special moment down" I say to the two of them but it is my brother who says to me as he kneels at my feet "Hey…Hey…Look at me Arizona. I am sorry that you are sad but you live in a wonderful city full of beautiful women. I know for a fact that whoever hurt you this bad only will only make you stronger in the future. So get you ass out there and find someone new. You deserve to be happy Arizona…you deserve everything that your life has to offer you". Tim takes me in his arms as I hold him tight. During our bonding moment I tell him and Teddy "I did meet a nice woman last month in the ER and we have had coffee a couple of times and breakfast once but I am not sure how out she is and if I should ask her out on a date". Teddy jumps with such eagerness in her seat and says "Oh Arizona, you need to call this woman. Come on…you have to try…we can double date to make it easier for you so you won't be so nervous on your first date". Then Tim joins his girlfriend's enthusiastic tone as he says "Come on Arizona…get back on that bike and ride".

Tim mutes the TV as I grab my phone off the charger in my bedroom and dial Lisa's number. At the sound of her exceptionally sweet voice saying "Hello" I instantly forget all about my troubles of the past as I say "Hello to you too, Lisa". Tim and Teddy make themselves scarce as I sit back down on my sofa and begin to chat with my new friend. After several minutes of idle chatting about our lives I ask Lisa "My brother and his girlfriend are in town for a couple of days and I would like to invite you to have dinner with us tomorrow night if you are free"? Within a millisecond Lisa says to me "You know that I have wanted to dial your number about fifty times in the last month but I was not sure if you felt the same way. Calling me tonight reassures me that you do want to get to know me better and I would be thrilled to have dinner with you and your family tomorrow night. Just tell me when and where to meet you and I'll be there with bells on". I laugh a little and say "With bells on, huh" and Lisa laughs too and says "Maybe we can save that thought for later". Now I am intrigued to find out where the night will lead after our first date. I tell Lisa "We'll pick you up at seven tomorrow night. Just text me your address and I'll see you then. You have a good evening and I'll see you tomorrow, goodnight".

I walk into my kitchen and tell Tim and Teddy that we are all going out to dinner tomorrow night just as my phone buzzes with the new text message of Lisa's address. I show my brother and his girlfriend the text that Lisa sent me and they both swarm me up in their arms. I am smiling at the idea of the prospect of trying something new and different. Teddy continues to hug me as she says "come on…tell us everything on how you two met". The three of us sit back down on my sofa as Teddy opens another bottle of wine and I begin to them my new story. "Lisa is an elementary school second grade teacher. She and I met in the ER at Johns Hopkins when she brought in one of her students that had fallen off the monkey bars. With the student information in her left hand she was using her right hand to frantically dial the child's parents. The second grade student named Madison was calm cool and collected as she watched her teacher pace around the ER exam room while trying to contact her parents. I walk behind the curtain and begin to talk to Madison about what happened to her as I see her chuckle a little at her teacher who is off to the side of the room talking to Madison's mother".

I take a long sip of my wine to quench my throat as I begin again. "Melanie, my third year intern, comes into the exam room as I say to her we are going to need an orthopedic consult to see if young Miss Madison here needs a cast or surgery. I stop talking to Melanie as I feel Madison's teacher, Miss Lisa Seymour, tug at my lab coat and says to me "I have Mrs. Carrington on my phone. Could you please explain to her what is going on with Madison, please"? I take the phone from the worried teacher's hand as she mouths the words "Thank you…Thank you so much". Then I explain the situation to the woman on the other end of the phone as she tells me that she will be there soon. I hand the phone back to the Miss Seymour as she falls into my arms crying about all of what has happened. I motion for Melanie to take Madison down for an X-ray to see where we stand on her elbow. When Lisa and I are standing there alone I ask her if she would like a cup of coffee. We walk out of the exam room and head to the coffee cart just outside the emergency room. Once I feel the good teacher has calmed down enough I tell her that I will be back soon after I read the x-rays. With a soft smile gracing her face she says to me "I'll wait right here for Mrs. Carrington". Then she says something so out of context for an elementary school teacher as she says to me "I am going to be such a horrible mother if and when I ever have children. I cannot even imagine what you think of me at this moment".

I walk this lovely woman into the waiting room that is practically empty as I say "You are not going to be a horrible mother someday and I think you are absolutely adorable right now. Look how you brought Madison here to the ER and how you tried everything to contact her parents. That makes you responsible and trustworthy and those qualities make you uniquely qualified for becoming a great mother someday". When I see that gorgeous smile adorn the teacher's face I finish by saying "And as for what I think of you right at this moment…well let's just say I would like to get to know you better". I smile my very own dimpled smile back to Lisa just as Melanie comes into the waiting room to tell me that the x-rays are up. I tell the school teacher that I will be back soon as she says she'll wait for me. Before the next hour has gone by Madison's mother has made it to the hospital as I and Dr. Steele, the orthopedic surgeon, informs Mrs. Carrington that her daughter needs surgery to place pins in her elbow. I leave the distraught mother in the very capable hands of our resident orthopedic surgeon as I go in search of Madison's teacher. I find her still sipping the cup of coffee I bought her earlier as I make my way to sit beside her and tell her that Madison is going to be just fine.

Miss Seymour releases a deep breath that she did not even know she was holding in as she says "Thank God". I smile at the school teacher and say "If you say so" but then the second grade teacher says to me in her very strict voice "You don't believe in God, Dr. Robbins". I swallow the last drop of my coffee in amazement as I choke a little and say "No…not in the same way you do apparently". Lisa then rises from her seat swiftly as she walks across the room to throw away her coffee cup. She then turns to me to say "Thank you for your time and your concern for my student but now I must be going". I step up quickly to halt Lisa's movements towards the door as I say "I am sorry. I should not have made such a sly and condescending remark to your belief system. Please accept my apology and if there is anything I can do to make this honest mistake up to you…please let me". Lisa grabs her purse and jacket off of the back of the chair as she walks away for me and says "We'll see".

A couple of weeks later I received a thank you card in the hospital mail from Madison Carrington as she thanks me for my help with her surgery and post operative care. Inside the card was also a note from her teacher that read "Dr. Robbins I would like to thank you for taking a special interest in the well being for Miss Madison and for me too. I want to apologize for our conversation at the end of the evening. If you would like to discuss this matter further please join me for coffee and some breakfast at Gertrude's Diner this coming Saturday morning at 8 a.m. If this time and day is not convenient for you, please give me a call and we can make other arrangements. Thank you again for your kindness, Miss Lisa Seymour". I call the phone number on the note as Lisa answers the call immediately. We talk for a few moments and I confirm our coffee and breakfast date for Saturday. Lisa and I enjoy a wonderful breakfast and talk for almost two hours getting to know each other better. Then we exchange phone numbers and emails with every intention of talking and getting to know each other even more.

I finish telling my brother's girlfriend Teddy my story about my new friend Lisa as we drink the last of the wine. Tim has fallen asleep due to all the traveling they both have done over the last few days so Teddy and I decide to call it a night. I clean up the wine bottle and glasses as Teddy kisses my brother to wake him from his slumber. Tim apologizes to me for falling asleep during my story but I tell him "That's alright brother, it was more of a chick bonding experience between me and Teddy anyways". He laughs at me and says "See you in the morning sis" as he and Teddy make their way into the guest bedroom. I turn off the lights in the apartment and make sure everything is locked up tight. Then I make my way to my bedroom and get ready for bed. I am lying in my bed checking my email when I see that very unbelievable email I received from Calliope earlier this morning. I figure that maybe I should give my friend the benefit of the doubt and hear her side of the story on why she is suddenly having a baby with this George O'Malley guy and why she sent me that email.

George has gone down to the hotel casino to try his luck at gambling as I sit here contemplating what the hell has happened to my life today. Flipping through nine hundred or so cable channels and finding nothing interesting to watch, I hear my phone ring. Not really wanting to answer the offending object anymore today, I look down to see that it is Arizona…my Arizona is finally calling me back. The first thing I say to her is "I'm so sorry Arizona" as I hear her say back to me softly "I know Calliope…I know". We talk late into the night about what has happened in my life. I explain to Arizona that it was George that sent the emails to everyone and how everyone has reacted by their phone calls I have received telling me of their shock and dismay for this change in my life...our life. I try to explain to Arizona that I am in love with George and even though our getting pregnant was not in the traditional sense, by any means, but that it was something we did together and we both are taking full responsibility.

I tell Arizona about how George asked me to marry him since we are in Vegas and how we will both be now parenting a child together. Then I say to Arizona in a joking manner "Can you imagine if George and I did get married for the sake of this child"? Then Arizona says back to me "Yea, then your name would be Callie O'Malley…kind of has a nice ring to it…don't you agree Calliope"? We both continue to laugh for a little while then Arizona says me in a more serious tone "Calliope, it does not matter what other people think…all that matters is that what you think…and if George is the man you truly love and you both love one another…then none of the rest of whatever anyone else thinks or even says really matters. So whether you both choose to get married or not…or if you both decide to raise this child out of wedlock…it's truly both of your decisions to make…and if you want my personal opinion…I think you'll make a great mama…not sure about this George fellow though" as we both laugh again. I smile into the phone because my friend…Arizona Robbins truly gets me.

Tim, Teddy and I are running around my apartment like three chickens with their heads cut off trying to finish getting ready for dinner. "We are going to be so late picking Lisa up" I say as I pass my brother and his girlfriend in the hall as the three of us are scrambling around. I stop for a moment to text Lisa that we are leaving my apartment right now and will pick her up in about thirty minutes. Then I call the Charleston to push my reservation back an hour to accommodate our tardiness. Tim is apologizing copiously as he says "How was I supposed to know that your Jeep would get towed from where I parked it and then we would have to search across this city to find the vehicle impound lot and run into Joanne all in one afternoon". Tim dropped Teddy and I at the front door of the Baltimore Museum of Art and went to park my Jeep this morning. Without even paying any attention to where he parked my vehicle, he parked my Jeep in a red zone and the Baltimore Police Department was kind enough to tow my vehicle to the impound lot clear across town. Four hours and a $325.00 fine later, which Tim gladly paid, the three of us walk out of the impound lot after seeing Joanne for the first time since our awful…awful dinner together as Teddy is the only one of us who thinks this whole day is amusing.

Teddy is sitting between my brother and me as we all pile into the front seat of my vehicle and says "So let me get this straight, sorry bad choice of the use of the word straight. Let me begin again. Tim you slept with Joanne when you both were serving our country over in Iraq. Then when Joanne comes home with you to deliver you to your parent's home in Boston she meets your little sister Arizona. Now Arizona you think that it is a good idea to show your appreciation to Joanne for her help in bringing your brother home by asking her out to dinner when you arrive home in Baltimore. Then as you make it very clear that this dinner only to show your appreciation and not a first date dinner. This Joanne person hits on you anyways because she wants to sleep with you so she can compare whether or not you are a better lover than your brother. That's some fucked up shit…really some fucked up shit. I just a want to tell you both and that's one fucked up chick".

With the inside of my Jeep filled with silence after Teddy's rendition of the common ground that Joanne, Tim and I share, Teddy completes her analysis of our three person situation as she says taking a hold of my brother's hand "Don't worry babe, I would never do something like that to you. Although your baby sister is rather cute and adorable in many ways, as I have found out in the past twenty four hours of getting to know her, I would never have sex with her because I am so in love with you". Tim kisses his girlfriend with such passion as I feel that I am the third person in the way. But then as their kiss breaks and my brother gazes out the passenger side window, Teddy turns to look at me and gives me a wink…a very awkward but very sensual wink…this is when I know now for a fact that I am in hell…Yep, my life right now is in hell…and I need some kind of new change in my life.

I stop at a flower shop along our way across town as Teddy helps me pick out a winter bouquet of flowers for Lisa. Ten minutes later I am standing alone at the front door of the cutest little house with a white picket fence and a two car garage. I use the large doorknocker attached to the front door to make my presence known as I hear a beautiful voice say "Just a minute". Before the minute is up the front door opens and I see the most gorgeous beauty standing in front of me in a black dress that hugs her body so tight that I do not even realize my mouth is hanging open and I am just staring. Then Lisa says something to break my train of thought as I hear her says "Arizona, you are going to catch your death of a cold if you do not close that beautiful mouth of yours". Then I feel her very warm hand in mine as she pulls me forward and into her home. I take one quick look back to see Tim and Teddy sitting in the back seat of my Jeep as it is still running so the heat will keep them warm.

I extend my hand out to Lisa once we are standing inside her home to say "These are for you for saying how sorry I am for being late this evening". Lisa reaches for a vase out of her kitchen cupboard as she fills the vase about halfway with water and walks back in my direction. She takes the flowers from my hand because I seem incapable of moving right now as I am still staring at her beauty. Once Lisa spreads the flowers around in the vase and arranges them to her liking she places them in the center of her kitchen table. Lisa then walks up to me and takes both of her hands and puts them on each of my cheeks as she draws my face into hers and kisses me ever so softly. Placing my hands first on Lisa's hips pulling her into me and then letting my hands slide to the small of her back with the tips of my fingers ghostingly brush along the top of her voluptuous ass I deepen the kiss by tracing my tongue over her bottom lip until she allows me entrance into her beautiful mouth. Our first kiss is more than I could have ever imagined that it would be…so much more.

Once our breathing becomes an issue Arizona and I break the kiss as I whisper to word a little too loud for my own good "Nice" and then I hear Arizona say "Very nice". With the two of us still facing each other I gather up my strength and become bold for the first time in this relationship as I say to Dr. Robbins "After dinner if you would like, after we take your brother and his girlfriend back to you apartment of course, you may bring me home and we can continue this exploration into our new found friendship". Arizona looks deep into my eyes and asks "What would this exploration entail"? I kiss her again more passionately than before just to show her the meaning of my quest tonight as I drive my tongue through her lips and down her throat just to make sure she gets my hidden meaning of what I want to do with her and to her tonight. Before our kiss steps over the boundaries of what we both want to do to each other tonight, we both seem to remember the other two people that are waiting for us in the driveway. Walking away from me Arizona says playfully "Maybe" as I make my way to her and she is chivalrously holding my winter coat open for me I say in a questioning tone "Maybe"? Arizona smiles her dimpled smile back at me and I know that we are both thinking to same thing because after dinner tonight we are both coming back here to my home and having some fun.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN…JANUARY 2, 2007…LATER THAT EVENING…LET THE FUN BEGIN…**

Dinner at the Charleston is going great…so much so that the four of us found a couple of things in common. Our love for '80's music and pop culture has been the top topic of conversation for over two hours now. With Tim and I sharing some "hair raising" stories of how we both dressed up as our favorite '80's hair bands with Teddy and Lisa. Then with Lisa telling the three of us how she was in an '80's hair band but how it disbanded in the early nineties due to some of her fellow band mates falling in love with the '90's boy bands that came afterwards. We all laughed at each others antics and storytelling until Tim and Teddy decided to call it a night. Tim suggested that he and Teddy take a cab back to my place so that I could take Lisa home and not have to drive through cross town traffic twice.

Lisa and I said our goodbyes to my brother and his girlfriend as we made our way to my Jeep. I opened the passenger side door for Lisa as she kisses my cheek on her way inside the vehicle. Once I am safe and secure behind the wheel of my Jeep and before I turn the key into the ignition Lisa stretches over the center console that separates the two of us as she kisses me again but this time on the mouth and a little more forcefully. Not one to be outdone by any woman, I tilt my head a little and place my hand on the back of Lisa's neck to pull her and this very sensual kiss in closer as I suck on her tongue and she sucks on mine. Then when we break the kiss my hand travels from behind Lisa's head to stroke her cheek as she whispers to me "Take me home". I draw her face back into mine and kiss her again and then I tell my dinner date "It will be my pleasure".

Barely enough time to take off our winter coats and toss our purses off to the side of the doorway as we walk into Lisa's home, she has me pinned against her front door as she slams it shut. With me concentrating on kissing her neck I hear Lisa ask "I thought having sex was originally sought out on the third date"? I reach around her body to slide down the zipper of her dress as I whisper in her ear "This is our third date". Lisa is now face first in the valley between my boobs as I scarcely hear her ask another question "How do you figure"? Lisa has begun to gently unzip my dress and is now sucking on my right breast. I slide this gorgeous black dress off her body as I explain myself by saying "Date one…I bought you coffee in the emergency room after you brought Miss Madison in after her fall. Date two…you bought me breakfast and we discussed our religious beliefs. And now date three…tonight". Lisa vehemently tugs my dress off my body as she says to me "So if the third date is the sex date…then sex it is". Lisa lifts me off the ground by grabbing my ass cheeks as I wrap my legs around her waist and she walks the two of us into her bedroom where she throws me down.

I am so glad that Lisa lives alone because the sounds that we are making coming out of her bedroom are not for the faint at heart to hear. With the sounds of our own guttural moans and the shear screaming of each others names over the next several hours is simply something to behold. Knowing that it has been over nine months for me, and I do not know how many months for Lisa, since I have made love too or even fucked a woman, hearing the animalistic grunts and groans coming from the two of us is quite symbolic. With the hypnotic sound of our soft snoring together I wake up slightly to see another woman standing next to the bed just staring at my new friend Lisa and me as I give Lisa a nudge quietly asking her to wake up. Once her vision becomes clearer I hear her scream "Mom" as she pulls the bed covers over the two of us.

The woman walks out of the bedroom without saying a word to either of us as I am laughing hysterically under the sheet. Lisa tugs on the sheet to see my face and she apologizes profusely and I instantaneously stop laughing. Lisa's face is red as red can be and I lay her back down on the bed and kiss her fervently as I slide my hand down between her legs to feel the wetness that I left there earlier. With a whisper of my name "Arizona" between the two of us and the threat of Lisa's mother coming back into the bedroom, I swipe my middle finger through her slick wet folds as I kiss her hard again and flick her clit with my thumb and Lisa goes weak under my touch and melts into my arms. I stroke a rogue band of her auburn hair back behind her ear while kissing her again. We stay in each others arms that way for a few moments longer until I sniff the fresh roasted smell of coffee in the air and bolt out of bed smacking Lisa's ass on my way and say "Hmmm, coffee". Lisa smiles back at me and asks "So the smell of freshly brewed coffee gets your motor running"? I strut to stand in front of her naked as the day I was born and say "Why yes my dear, but only after you've fucked the living daylights out of me the night before". I kiss her once again and dash away to the bathroom.

Coming out of the bedroom I am greeted with a hearty "Good morning" from Lisa's mother and another woman who I do not know. Lisa slides off the bar stool that adorns the island that separates her kitchen and entranceway to her living room as she kiss me and then introduces the two other ladies in the room who are staring at me right now. "Arizona, this is my mom Cheryl and my sister Lori. Mom…Lori, this is my friend Arizona" Lisa's soft and friendly voice states rather proudly as I hold out my hand for them to shake. Then a rather tall balding man and a little sweetheart of a girl, who looks to be about nine years old, come out from the hallway across the room as this little girl comes running into Lisa's arms to hug her tight. The gentleman takes it upon himself to make their introductions to me as I watch the other ladies total focus is on this lovely young lady. "Hi I'm Adam, Lori's husband and Zoe's father" and then this adorable little creature comes from around her Aunt Lisa and says to me "It's nice to meet you…my name is Zoe Ann". I squat down so I am somewhat eye level to this darling girl and I say "Hello to you both…my name is Arizona".

We all take a seat at the island and begin to eat our breakfast that Cheryl and Lori have made for us. Inquisitive little Miss Zoe asks me "Arizona, did your parents name you after the state"? In the course of my lifetime if I had a dollar for every time that someone has asked me that question I would probably have a couple of thousand dollars by now. I smile politely as I hear Cheryl softly scolding her granddaughter saying it is impolite to ask such a question of someone they have just met. I glance down from my cup of coffee at the distraught look on poor Miss Zoe's face as I say "No my dear, my parents named me after the famous battleship that sank in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii". I received smiles from all the adults around the breakfast table because I seemed to neglect telling this beautiful little girl about the war that broke out because of this attack. Children are resilient but for right now all this little girl needs to focus on is being a happy and healthy child to her parents, to her grandparents and to her favorite aunt and not focus on what it means for her country to go to war.

Back behind the closed door of Lisa's bedroom, she offers me a pair of her slacks and a blouse to wear since I am running late for work. When we are both dressed and ready to leave I take Lisa in my arms and thank her for a wonderful night and a very good morning. She then kisses me with all the passion she has and says to me "Can I make you dinner on Friday night"? Without even thinking about it or even looking at my schedule first I say "Yes" instantly. We talk for a moment about our new plans as I kiss her one more time and we walk together out of her bedroom to acknowledge the upcoming day. With a final peck on her lips I wave goodbye to her family and drive away to work.

Thank goodness for four inch high heels because Lisa is about a half a head taller than me so these slacks are a little long but with the extra length of my Jimmy Choo's, the slacks do not drag on the ground. Changing into my athletic shoes and scrubs I begin my day by cutting. Four surgeries later and mid afternoon arriving I make my way to my office but as I check my phone along the way I find that I have missed three voice mail messages from my brother. Walking into my office to find the biggest bouquet of flowers sitting on my desk I read the card that accompanies these gorgeous flowers. "Thank you for dinner and an amazing night…see you on Friday" signed Lisa. I smell the card as I smile but then I am brought back to reality by the buzzing of my phone. I quickly answer this time because I see it is Tim again. "Sorry brother" is the only thing I can think to say to him as I am still admiring the flowers and the card and still smiling.

A sigh of relief is released from my lungs as I hear my sister's voice and I ask "You alright, sis"? With her infamous Robbins giggle like our mama coming through the phone lines loud and clear I smile as I hear my sister say "Yes Timothy, I am great". Knowing that her date last night must have finished on a wonderful note because I can see standing in her kitchen looking through her bedroom door that her bed was not slept in last night. I decide to tease my baby sister a little as I ask "So, I take it you had a good night then"? Arizona expels some air from her lips in a "Duh" kind of tone as she says to me "What do you think Timothy"?

We talk for a few more minutes and my sister apologizes for her not coming home last night as I say to her "Are you kidding me, Teddy and I had the time of our lives. And we cleaned and sanitized all the surfaces that our naked bodies touched throughout the course of the night in your home". Placing my hand over the bottom of my cell phone, because Teddy and I are laughing uncontrollably, so my sister does not hear us at what I just told her about our sexual misconduct last night. Arizona is screaming at me at the top of her lungs about the two of abusing her apartment. Teddy takes my phone out of my ear as she tries to calm my sister down by saying that none of what I said was true and that I was just yanking her chain. But needless to say it was all true.

Teddy and I are talking when she asks me "Are you off work soon" and I tell my brother's girlfriend "I just have one more surgery and then I will be done. Hey why don't you and Tim come and watch"? I give Teddy instructions on how to find me once she and Tim take a cab to the hospital. Then I tell her that we can all go out to dinner afterwards because there is a great Chinese restaurant not far from the hospital.

About an hour later I look up into the gallery viewing area and see both my brother and his girlfriend gazing down at me. I motion my head to the intern standing in the back of the viewing area as she turns on the speaker system so Tim and Teddy and I can talk to one another. I describe every technique I am performing and even ask their advice on how to handle different situations and scenarios. I also ask the two of them what they would do if these difficulties were to arise and they were the ones operating. For the next hour and forty five minutes for the duration of the surgery the three of us discuss these different things and I notice that Dr. McHale has taken a seat in the gallery.

I introduce my mentor to my brother and his girlfriend as I become faintly aware of their conversations focusing on each other now. I place my center of attention back on my patient and close her up. After a quick shower I find my family still sitting in the gallery and ask them if they are ready to go to dinner. After having a wonderful dinner with the conversation staying on the topic of surgeries, Tim, Teddy and I make our way back to my home. Begrudgingly knowing that both my brother and his girlfriend have an early morning flight back to Seattle, Tim convinces Teddy and me to one game of scrabble. With Teddy dozing off between turns, I accidently, but on purpose, tip the scrabble board as the tiles are sent flying all over the room. Waking Teddy from her twilight slumber after the noise I have just made, my chivalrous brother carries his beloved off to the guest bedroom as I clean up the aftermath of our valiant effort of picking up the strewn letter tiles on my living room floor.

I pour myself a glass of white wine as I make my way to my bedroom. After changing into something more comfortable I climb in my bed to check my laptop for any emails I have received. After scoping out the personal and business emails and answering them I discard and trash the spam ones. Then I see that it is still early on the west coast I call my friend in Seattle. But as my luck would have it, I get her voice mail message instead. Sending her a message to check her email for my message, I begin to write to Calliope about my meeting Lisa and having dinner and sex with her last night.

Now that Calliope and I are strictly friends without benefits, we can share these types of conversations and feel good about ourselves that we are now moving on with our lives and focusing on being happy. Since Calliope and George are having a baby together now and I am in the beginning of a relationship with Lisa, we can talk to one another about our love lives because no matter what my friend without benefits and I do and where we go in our lives and our careers…Calliope Iphigenia Torres is my person…she is my one and only person.

Things between Calliope and I push forward as our friendship grows stronger. We are there for each other as our careers and lives take different paths. Calliope has become a resident at Seattle Presbyterian as she is in the hunt for the chief resident position and with George passing his intern exam, he stays at Seattle Presbyterian with his girlfrind. They both welcome a beautiful baby girl, Sofia Robbin O'Malley Torres, into their world on March 31 of this year. I flew to Seattle to greet my new adorable niece the day she was born and thanked Calliope personally for naming this gorgeous bundle of joy after me. Unfortunately, her parents are still having a hard time with the whole giving birth out of wedlock part because only her father has come to visit her while she was in the hospital.

I, on the other hand, have become an attending physician at Johns Hopkins in Pediatric Surgery. I have decided to stay in Baltimore mainly because I have fallen in love. Lisa and I have moved in together as she asked me to share her life and her home on my birthday last August. Even though her parents are trying their best to acknowledge our relationship it is my mother and father who talk with them constantly about what it means to them to raise a beautiful and successful gay daughter.

Now nine months later I am taking my girlfriend away for a long weekend to share with only her because in four days she will be leaving me for a two week trip to Paris France with her high school senior French class because she is one of three chaperones assigned for this adventure. In the last sixteen months Lisa has completed the Master of Education and Education Administration Degree Program at LoyolaCollege here in Baltimore. Lisa will begin her new position in three months as Superintendent of Baltimore Public Schools in September 2008. Right now I am leaving my favorite jewelry store and making my way home before Lisa arrives home from school. With a smile spreading across my face, I take one last look at my purchase before I close the little black box and put it back in the bag. I place a call to my friend who just happens to live three thousand miles away as she quickly answers my call. With the soft crying sounds in the background of my new sweetest niece Sofia, I say to her mami "Hey Calliope".

"Did you get it, Arizona" Calliope says as she is almost excited as I am about my new purchase as I say to her "Yes ma'am I did. I just picked it up from the jeweler's and Calliope it is beautiful. Thank you so much for all you help. Your knowledge of diamonds is impeccable and I could not have done this without you. You are such a great friend and I would like to ask you if Lisa says yes tonight…will you please be my maid of honor"? Without any hesitation in her voice my Calliope says "I would be honored and it will be my pleasure to be your maid of honor, Arizona. You are going to make a beautiful bride and I cannot wait to share this day with you my friend". I begin to cry through the phone as Calliope says to me "Hey…Hey Arizona…no crying…remember what we always say…there's no crying in baseball…and this is your time…your time… you and Lisa are great together and are so in love. You both are going to be two of the most beautiful brides ever". Wiping my tears away I say to my friend "You always know exactly the right thing to say to calm me down Calliope. Thank you but now I must get home before Lisa to begin our weekend".

**MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND…MAY 23 THROUGH MAY 26 2008…BALTIMORE MARYLAND**

Making it home from the jeweler's in plenty of time to load the Jeep with our luggage before Lisa gets home. "Arizona…Arizona…Babe" I hear my girlfriend yell out for me as I answer her beck and call by saying as I am walking out of our bathroom buttoning my Levi's "In here, baby". I look up from my current line of sight of the front of my jeans just in time to see my girlfriend running to me as she tosses off her dress and shoes and dives into my arms and with her momentum carrying both of us onto our bed. With Lisa peppering my face with kisses as she says in between kisses "Three whole days of just me and you…lying in some random bed making love and fucking the hell out of each other…three whole days Arizona…I am so fucking happy for our mini vacation". Then Lisa plunges her tongue down my throat as I hear her moan into my mouth and her left hand begins to explore the inside of my unbuttoned and unbuckled jeans and panties.

With my naked girlfriend lying on top of me with her hands stroking my wet and juicy pussy and whispering some very raunchy dirty talk in my ear I trace my right hand down her body to find just what I am feeling for. Taking a page out of Lisa's dirty talking playbook, I thrust three fingers deep inside my girlfriend as we are both humping the daylights out of each other. "Fuck me hard Arizona you know the way I like it…I have thought about this all day…sitting all afternoon in my soaked panties…waiting for the clock on the wall to let me know it was time to come home…come home to you so you could fuck me senseless…now fuck me Arizona" my girlfriend screams at me as we are both trying desperately to make each other come. Then I say something that I know will do the trick "You were sitting in your soaked panties all afternoon huh…I bet you masturbated to make those panties all soak and wet…didn't you baby…you know how I love watching you masturbate…you are so fucking hot and sexy when you lie in front of me and touch yourself". With a scream of "Arizona" so loud it echoes throughout our bedroom walls as Lisa pulls the back of my neck down to meet her awaiting lips as she inhales my mouth into hers and we both simultaneously reach our orgasms.

Making our way to the Inn at St. Michael's for our romantic weekend getaway, Lisa and I stop along the way to have a quiet dinner together. Since our sexual afternoon delight earlier we knew that we were going to miss dinner at the Inn. Even though we missed our dinner reservation, when we did make our check in time the front desk person told my girlfriend and I about the wine tasting event being held downstairs in the wine cellar. Lisa and I make our way down the flight of stairs as we are greeted by the hospitality staff of the Inn and are handed a couple glasses of wine. Deciding on trying some dessert wines instead, Lisa and I share a bottle of wine as we walk around the grounds and out to the shoreline. The Inn at St. Michael's lies on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay as Lisa and I walk to the water's edge and watch the sailboats leaving their dock for their sunset sailing tour as we hold each other close and watch the sun setting to the west. A dapper looking sailor gentleman asks my girlfriend and I if we want to take the sunset sailing tour as Lisa politely tells the man that we will some other time.

Lisa empty's the last of the dessert wine in each of our wine glasses as I wrap my arms around her from behind and see that some goose bumps begin to appear on her skin as I kiss her shoulders. I ask my beloved "Are you cold, honey"? Lisa takes her left hand as she grabs a hold of my upper right arm pulling me closer to her and says "No baby, just want you to hold me close". My girlfriend tilts her head off to the left a little as I place a few feathery kisses along her neck and behind her ear and whisper "I love you, y'know". Lisa turns in my arms to face me as she says "I love you too" and this is when I find myself wanting to spend the rest of my life with this woman. I say to my girlfriend as I take the little black box out of my dress slacks pocket but before I kneel down on one knee I say to her "I never thought I could ever feel this way about a woman before but since you came into my life over a year ago, I do not want to spend another day without you in my life". Then I kneel before the love of my life as I hear her softly say "Oh Arizona". I open the little black box to show my girlfriend the gorgeous diamond in a platinum setting while I continue with my romantic Robbins speech as I say to Lisa "I know that we cannot officially do this in the state of Maryland but we can at my family's home in Boston. So Lisa Michelle Seymour will you do me the honor of marrying me and spending the rest of your life with me as my wife"?

Tears are streaming down my face and I am beginning to hyperventilate as I stare at my girlfriend, I mean now my fiancé, as she is asking for my hand in marriage. Arizona quickly rises from her knelt position to take me in her arms as I hear her says "Lisa…baby, just breath…just breath". I take her face in my hands and tell my fiancé "Yes Arizona, I will marry you" between taking deep breathes and then kissing her lips. Arizona tries to lighten the mood of me hyperventilating as she says once I regain the regulation of my breathing "Baby, you can tell our children someday how I took your breath away when I proposed to you tonight". With my hands still on both sides of Arizona's face we both share a laugh and another kiss after what she has just said to me. Then I say to my fiancé "You always take my breath away…everyday, my love".

Arizona has taken off her button down cardigan sweater as she wraps it around my upper body because the goose bumps keep appearing on my skin as there is a chill in the air after the evening sun sets. Walking back from the shoreline across the grounds and back to the entrance of Inn we hear quite a few people holler at us as they say "Congratulations…please come and have a drink". My arms are encasing my fiancé's body as she swallows me up in her arms and guides the two of us towards the folks that have invited us for a celebratory drink. With magnums of champagne being emptied between my bride to be and me along with all of the patrons of The Purser's Pub, here at the Inn, I bid our goodnight to everyone as Lisa and I make our way to our suite.

Lisa walks across the room of our suite as she stops at the balcony French doors and opens them. A cool breeze blows in off the Chesapeake Bay as I walk up behind my fiancé. Taking her in my arms and tracing my fingertips up her thighs and under her dress. My sensitive fingertips glide up Lisa's abdomen as I caress each of her breasts and say "I so love when you get a little tipsy when you drink champagne". Lisa places her hands over mine as all four hands now continue to caress both of her boobs as she says to me "and I love that how when you too drink a little too much champagne you get all handsy". I gently slide Lisa's dress and my sweater over her head and then I tenderly glide her panties down her toned thighs as she lifts each foot for me to remove them from her body. I begin to run my face over her soft curls between her legs as I passionately kiss the skin above her hairline and take in the aroma that is truly my Lisa.

Before I make my way to pleasure my very naked fiancé, she says softly "Wait Arizona…wait baby". Holding onto Lisa's hips I rise from my squatted position as I find her lips and she kisses me with all the passion she has for me. When she breaks the kiss she whispers in my ear "You have way too many clothes on my dear" as she rips my blouse off my body and with one flick of her index finger and her thumb she unhooks my bra in one rapid motion. Then before I can even react to this domineering side of my fiancé she quickly unbuckles and unbuttons my slacks as she throws me down on our bed and makes swift work of tearing off my pants and underwear. Now that we both are naked and horny and a little bit drunk, Lisa straddles my body as she hovers over me and asks in her very sexy voice "Now that I am your fiancé and you are mine, what do you say you and I make love to one another on our first night of being engaged". I brush back her auburn hair from her gorgeous face as I pull her down to me and kiss her passionately and say "It will be my pleasure my love".


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N...Remember everyone...just be patient...all good things come to those who wait...**

**CHAPTER TWELVE…SATURDAY MAY 24, 2008…ST. MICHAEL'S INN…**

Arizona has left a night light on across the suite as it shines on the wall clock that reads 4:10 a.m. I am lying in my fiancé's arms with the side of my face resting on her left breast as I watch the moonlight dance off my engagement ring and the light prisms around the room. I smile as the motion of moving my finger all about makes the light skip all around the suite. My movements and my laughter begin to awaken Arizona as she begins to stir underneath me. With her opening her eyes to see me staring back at her, she smiles and says "How long have you been awake, honey"? I smile back at her but instead of answering her question I inhale her left breast in my mouth as she squirms and raises her chest upwards. My left hand, my engagement ring wearing left hand, massages her right breast as I hear my Arizona moan and say "Baby, that feels so good". We share another sensual kiss before we make love to each other again. After bringing each other to a few more orgasms, Arizona and I settle down for the night but not before my fiancé says to me "It has been a while since we made love to each other multiple times over the course of one evening". I smile and nuzzle my face into her neck and whisper "Remember when we first started dating…we fucked like bunnies".

Coming out of the bathroom, I hear a knock at our suite room door as I see my Lisa opening the door to allow the room service attendant bring in our breakfast that she has ordered. Watching both Lisa and the room service guy place our food on the table, I grab the newspaper off the cart and take a seat opposite my fiancé. Handing half of the two sectioned paper to Lisa to read, we begin to enjoy our breakfast. Making plans to do some sightseeing and confirming our reservation for our spa day, Lisa and I begin to talk about wedding plans.

For the next hour and a half we discuss all the details of our upcoming nuptials. With Lisa writing every detail down in her notepad on her laptop, we conclude the where and when of our wedding plans. Sentimental Lisa has asked me if we could have our wedding day on the one year anniversary of me asking her to marry me which would be May 23, 2009. I agree to our wedding date as we both agree on where we are getting married which will be at my parent's home on their property in Boston. While Lisa and I are getting dressed for our afternoon of sightseeing, we agree to call our parents and tell them of our good news after our spa day. Taking my fiancé's hand in mine, we leave our suite and head out to face the new day…and our new beginning…because one year from today…we will say our "I do's"…and become legally married.

Taking a deep breath as both Lisa and I climb back into my Jeep after our luggage has been loaded up by a nice young man named David. Grasping for my fiancé hand in mine as I kiss her knuckles and tell her "It will all be alright, honey" while I watch her try to fight off the tears that are sneaking out through her gorgeous green eyes. "How can you be so sure Arizona…you heard her with your very own ears…she is not going to budge…no matter how she projects herself in front of everyone…she is not going to budge" Lisa stutters with her words as she tries to get her point across to me. I tilt my body to face her even more as I take both of her hands in mine peppering kisses all over them both. Then I say "I love you with all that I am and if you are not sure…if you are not one hundred percent convinced that I am deeply…deeply in love with you…and will do everything I can for the rest of my life…to tell you everyday…if that is what you truly need to hear…but I am not giving up on you…or us for that matter even though your mother thinks we are going to hell in a hand basket".

My fiancé…my beautiful…gorgeous…sexy as hell…love of my life…tells me how she truly feels about me and how she does not give a shit what my mother thinks of our impending wedding ceremony as I laugh a little at her last comment. "I love you" I say to Arizona almost in a whisper as I kiss her soft pink lips and move my upper body into hers and I guide her back into her seat. Before we both completely come undone, I put some distance between our lips but not before slowly tracing my tongue over her bottom lip and hearing a supple moan come from my Arizona. "We need to get home in a hurry because we some more time together to plan for our wedding before I leave for Paris in two days and I need to show you just how much I love you because I do…I love you so much…more than anything…more than anyone…and cannot wait to be your wife in three hundred and sixty three days from today". I kiss Arizona with such meaning and love to make sure she knows how I really feel.

Driving back home to Baltimore singing to the CD that Lisa places in the player as we sing to each other some of the most precious love songs ever written. Lisa is writing down some of these songs to ask our family and friends to sing at our wedding as we choose together the ones that we love the most. After about an hour or so the silence inside the Jeep is deafening as I can see the wheels in my fiancé's head turning and know that she is going over the conversation she had with her mother earlier as I give her the space she needs. Then I hear my Lisa release a sigh of breath that I don't even think she knew she was holding on too as I ask "You alright, baby". She turns her head to smile at me and says "Yes Arizona, I am just wonderful". Then just like before, Lisa begins talking about our wedding as she asks me "What about our cake? Do you think we could ask Stephanie to bake our wedding cake"? I smile because I know how much it means to Lisa that her childhood friend bake our wedding cake as I say without any hesitation whatsoever "I think that would be fantastic, honey".

Gazing at the beautiful landscape of the inland of Chesapeake Bay flash by my eyes after singing and sharing some great heartwarming wedding songs with my lady as we make our way back home after a wonderful getaway weekend. Hearing my mother's voice in my head criticizing my wedding plans with Arizona is gnawing at my very being. When Arizona and I came back from our spa afternoon we thought it only being the proper and polite thing to do was to call our parents and tell them of our upcoming nuptials. Arizona went first as she placed her phone on the table telling her parents that they were on speaker phone. You could hear Barbara Robbins shout out loud with her sweet southern twang in her voice as she screams that she loves the two of us and cannot wait to help plan the wedding. The Colonel, this strong and stoic grand stature of a man, that loves his daughter more than life itself clears his throat and says to me personally "Lisa, my daughter Arizona is who her mother and I raised her to be. She loves you fiercely and forever…welcome to our family my dear".

I stare and smile at my fiancé after I hear her ask me if I am alright as I tell her I am wonderful. I know she is worried about me after hearing what my mother said earlier. How can we both come from such different parents I think to myself as I keep smiling at my Arizona? When I called my parents to tell them of our marriage plans my father only said "Just tell me when and where to be there and I'm all in". But my mother on the other hand did nothing but spew her hatred and homophobic agenda at me and Arizona. Even when I told her that she was on speaker phone and Arizona was sitting next to me she still ranted about how our love…our life together…and our future…was an abomination and we were both going to hell in a hand basket. How can a woman who gives you life be so cruel and hateful to her own daughter just because she loves and wants to marry a woman? I take a moment and come to a decision that my mother is not going to dictate how I choose to live my life and who I can love and marry. I smile again at my fiancé and begin talking to her about our wedding plans as we choose my childhood friend Stephanie to bake our wedding cake.

I am facing Arizona while we continue to talk of our wedding plans abut when we pull into our driveway she says cautiously "Lisa" and I follow her line of sight to see my father sitting on our front porch. Arizona says "I get our luggage why don't you both have a conversation and I'll meet you both inside". I nod the affirmative to my fiancé as I make my way out of the vehicle and walk up the sidewalk that leads to our front porch. Opening the front door and asking my father inside as we both take off our coats and take a seat in the living room. Within three minutes Arizona has joined my father and I as he begins to speak. "I want you both to know that I love you unconditionally and am very proud of the two of you and what you both have accomplished in your lives together. I will stand by you Lisa and you too Arizona and I will be so unbelievably proud to walk you my dear daughter down the aisle next year. I do not know what will happen with your mother and how her views will affect your life together but I am one hundred percent sure that I no longer want or care to have anything to do with her and her negative opinions about how you love and who you choose to share your life and your future with. I have moved out of our home and am staying at the lake house. I have told your sister of my plans as she is appalled as I am by your mother's actions to you both over the phone this morning".

Before Arizona or I can say anything to my father, he finishes his speech. "I do not want you to think that this is either of your faults. This has been a long time coming and finally this morning it all came to a head. When I heard her say those things to you both today I just snapped. I have listened to her say things…cruel…mean things behind peoples backs but when she said those things to our own daughter I could not believe it. How can a woman give life to her own child and then say those things to that child that are unforgiveable"? I say to my father and my future wife "I said that same thing to myself this morning. How can someone who says they love you…my own mother…say what she said to Arizona and me"? As the three of us ponder these questions silently we all jump at the sound of the doorbell. Arizona says "Excuse me" to my father and I as she walks to our front door and opens it. Then my father and I hear my fiancée say "Lisa…Bud" as we both look up and see my mother.

My sister and brother-in-law and my beautiful nine year old niece walk in our home behind my mother as my niece Zoe runs up to me and Arizona as we both take her in our arms. My sister Lori and her husband Adam walk further into our home as my mother hovers around the front door without saying a word. Lori kisses our father's cheek as Adam and my dad shake hands. Zoe turns in my arms and says "Grandma" as my mother smiles at her only granddaughter and says "What Zoe"? Zoe looks awkwardly at her grandmother as she says "You gonna hug Aunt Lisa and Aunt Arizona"? My mother gaze drops to the floor as she says to my niece without looking at anyone in particular as she says "Maybe later, honey". Arizona takes Zoe's hand in hers as she says out loud "Hey Zoe, what do you say that you and I take a walk down the street to the park while your parents and grandparents and Aunt Lisa talk for a while". Zoe walks over to her Aunt Arizona and takes her hand like she has done for the past year and the two of them make their way out the door. Before they leave my presence, Arizona and I share a kiss as I tell my fiancé "Thank you…I love you".

For a little nine year old girl with so much energy, Zoe Ann has her Aunt Arizona breathing very heavily. Walking back to our home after a very rambunctious hour of so with my soon to be legal niece, I see Zoe's parents on our front porch as I ask "Everything alright"? Adam just shakes his head as Lori says "I think we will let Lisa talk with you". The four of us walk back into our home as we hear my fiancé say to her father "No daddy, she does not get to act like a spoiled brat just because she does not get her way". I smile politely at my future father-in-law as I ask Lisa "What's the matter honey"? Lisa spins around to say something to me but her father says first to Lori, Adam and Zoe "Why don't we give them some room to talk besides I think my little granddaughter needs some time with her poppa". The four of them say their goodbyes to Lisa and me with Lori promising to come over to talk some more about what happened today. Lisa and I stand on our front porch as we wave goodbye to her relatives and I carefully walk up behind her wrapping her up in my arms and whisper "We're gonna be ok".

For dinner tonight neither of us wants to go out so Lisa opens up the fridge and starts taking things out. What does not stay goes into the trash and what does stay goes into an electric skillet. I watch as she performs her magic cooking skills all the while I am setting the table. Working like two well oiled machines around the kitchen we do not even have to speak to know what the other is thinking. I am not one for whipping up a fine meal with leftovers from the fridge but my future wife is as good as any chef on the television. And I tell her so from the way the house smells with her gastronomic delight. Lisa transfers some of the culinary masterpiece that is in the electric skillet to a regular skillet as she tosses the pasta all around with just the flick of her wrist. Then adding the meat and vegetables to the pasta mix as she is still tossing her creation together. I pour the wine as I watch her toss and turn all the ingredients together and before she plates up this delicious cooking treat for us, she takes my hand in hers as she shows me just how to toss everything about with just the flick of my wrist.

My wife to be and I sit across from each other as we begin to eat this wonderful meal that I have just cooked for us. We exchange glances and smiles for several minutes before I begin to speak. I know that Arizona is just giving me my space until I am ready to talk because she knows me so well and loves me beyond measure. I begin telling Arizona about what happened when she took Zoe to the park. "My mother informed me, when you were at the park with Zoe, that under no uncertain terms that we are not allowed to invite any of her friends to our wedding. She did not want to be embarrassed by her daughter marrying a woman in front of them. Just because she has to be there does not mean she will let us put them through this fiasco of a wedding". I hear Arizona take a deep breath after what I have just told her when she surprises me by what she says next.

Wiping the single tear that has escapes from my eye with the softness of her thumb my fiancé says to me "If this is all too much for you Lisa…if you are not having second thoughts about spending the rest of your life with me…then I say fuck it…we can get married anywhere we want…any way we want. We don't need your mother or her belief in a higher power to determine where and when nor if we get can married. This is our decision…this is our time…just you and me here…right here and right now".

I am in the kitchen cleaning up the dinner dishes when Lisa receives and important phone call that she tells me she needs to take as she makes her way into her office and shuts the door behind her as she smiles at me. From the kitchen I hear the phrases from Lisa's office as she says "No it has to be done tonight" and "No I cannot wait until I get back home from Paris" and "Alright…alright I will see you in an hour" and finally "I am leaving right now. Meet me in your office". Lisa walks up behind me as she swallows me up in her arms and kisses the back of my neck. Taking full advantage of this amorous second I turn to face my beloved as I lift her off her feet and onto the counter top. Burying my face into the V-neck of her dress all the while kissing and sucking on her breast, Lisa strokes her hands through my hair as she tugs on it a little to get my attention. Pausing for a minute to take in the gorgeous face of my bride-to-be as I listen to what she is now saying to me "Baby, oh baby you don't know how much I want to continue this but I need to leave for a couple of hours to attend to some business".

I move away from Lisa as I leave her still sitting on the countertop and I say sternly "What kind of business could you possibly have at this late hour, Lisa"? My lover…my partner… my wife to be just stares down at the floor and not at me at all as I hear her say and try to explain her sudden interest in leaving our house tonight alone "It has to do with the plans about Paris that's all, baby". In the year and a half that I have known and fallen in love with Lisa, she has never lied to me…not once…but the feeling I am getting in the pit of my stomach from her right now…I know that she is lying to me. I take a few more steps away from her and continue to remain silent about her request to leave me as she slides off the countertop and says "Baby please, don't be like this…it's only for a couple of hours and then I will be right back".

I depart the kitchen area and make my way to the living room as I watch Lisa gather her coat and purse. Turning on the TV and flipping through the channels as I stop when I find a baseball game on. Lisa makes her way to where I am sitting on the sofa as she straddles my hips and pushes my head back a bit to give me a kiss goodbye. But I am in no mood for her and her obvious lying as I turn my head away from her kiss. Forcing her hands on each side of my face holding my face still she kisses me with such passion as she shoves her tongue down my throat. Trying not to enjoy her kiss is rather impossible as I give in and kiss her back with the same amount of passion as she is showing me. Then when the kiss breaks for lack of oxygen on both of our parts, Lisa continues to leave little pecks on my lips as she whispers in my ear "I so love your cute and pouty face". I smack her ass as I toss her off my lap saying playfully "Be gone with you my wench…because the sooner you leave the sooner you will return to me…and when you return the sooner I can fuck you senseless since you got me all hot and horny as shit right now. Now be gone with you and tell your girlfriend on the side I said hello". I feel the soft sofa pillow hitting me in the face as I blow my fiancé a kiss and watch her as she shakes her fine looking ass back at me and she blows me a kiss as she wears that shit eating grin I am so in love with. Once she has left our home and my sight, I wonder what the hell she is up to.

I am checking items off the check list that Lisa and I have improvised to make sure she has everything she needs for her two weeks in Paris. I sit on our bed while my fiancé shows me some new clothes she has bought for this special occasion. I smile and even smirk a bit because I have a secret of my own. I am secretly going to fly to Paris to surprise her at on Sunday so we can spend some time together in the most famous city in Europe…the city of love. Once everything is accounted for on our list I help her finish packing her clothes as we move around each other in silence. When everything is packed and sitting in the foyer next to the front door, Lisa and I make our way back into our bedroom to spend one last night together. Just as we are getting ready for bed the doorbell rings as I tell my love "I'll get it…but honestly I cannot figure out who would be coming by this late at night". I am gone all of two minutes when I poke my head back into our bedroom just as my fiancé is taking off her blouse. I clear my throat as Lisa turns to face me and I say "Umm babe, you may want to put your blouse back on and come out here".

I take my fiancé's advise and place my shirt back over my upper body as I make my way back out to our living room. My mouth makes a loud audible gasp as I see standing before me in my own living room…my sister…my best friend Robin…and about thirty five of my mother's friends. Before I can say even one word I see Reverend Betty from the Trinity Lutheran Church walking up to me and taking my hands in hers as she kisses each of my cheeks and says "Lisa…my sweet Lisa". Robin and Lori place two of our individual chairs together as they ask Arizona and I to have a seat. Then Reverend Betty begins to speak. "Robin, Lori, Adam and Bud came to see me tonight at the church rectory. We discussed what went on between the two of you and your mother Lisa. With the church's women's auxiliary standing behind me tonight, we all want to say to the two of you congratulations on your upcoming wedding. We would also like to ask if we can be a part of this glorious celebration. Lori has told us that the two of you are getting married in Boston because of the legality of the situation. The women's auxiliary and I would like to extend our helping hand in any way that we can".

I am completely flabbergasted by these women…these women I have known all my life…and have somehow…in their own special and unique way…have shaped and made me the woman I am today. I look at my Arizona and with the simple nod of her head to me I say to these beautiful and wonderful women "It would be our pleasure to have all of you attend our wedding". I take a hold of my fiancé's hand and ask her "May I" as she knows exactly what I want to ask as she says "Yes Lisa, I have already talked to my mother about it and she is over the moon about the idea". With a confused look on everyone's face in my living room tonight I say to all these women but especially to Reverend Betty "Arizona and I would like you to be one of the two women officiating our wedding next year in Boston. So is this enough time to ask you to marry the two of us"? Reverend Betty takes me in her arms as she waves for Arizona to join us as she says to the two of us "I would be so honored and humbled to marry the two of you. When the final details are etched in stone, you let me know and I will be there my dear". Before all of these fine ladies leave our home, with the promise of attending our wedding next year, Reverend Betty says she is going to have a heart to heart talk with my mother. She also says that no matter what happens after their talk, she will see us in Boston.

Robin and Lori stay back a little while longer to talk more about what happened today. The four of us share a couple of bottles of wine as I ask my sister to be my maid of honor and my best friend Robin to be a bridesmaid. Both women agree to what I have asked of them as I ask Arizona "Babe, have you asked anyone to be your maid of honor or your bridesmaid yet"? A quiet and deadly hush falls over the room for a few minutes as I wait for my fiancé to answer my question. The hesitation coming from Arizona makes me realize that she has asked her…her former friend with benefits as she likes to call her…to be her maid of honor. I jump up from my seated position as Lori and Robin do the same. The three of us make our way to the front door as my sister and my best friend say goodnight to Arizona as she remains seated. I kiss and hug Lori and Robin as I tell them I will call them from the airport before I leave for Paris tomorrow. I turn off the rest of the lights throughout the house as I make my way to my bedroom. Arizona asks me "Lisa, can we please talk about this, please"? I keep walking towards the bedroom and do not acknowledge her question as I slam our bedroom door.

I am livid…completely pissed off right now…that I cannot even talk to her…how can she ask that woman…that woman…without even asking me first. I climb into our bed…our bed…the same bed that we have shared for almost a year now…as I try to calm myself down. Before I even realize it, I have fallen asleep. Then after a few hours I hear the soft mention of my name and the whimpering cries of my Arizona outside our bedroom door. I open the door and take a step back as I know what is going to happen next. Just like I thought Arizona is leaning with her back and her full body weight pressed against the door that when I open it, she falls backwards and hits her head on the hard wood floor beneath her body. I laugh a little as she falls back and hits her head but then I glance out the door to see two more empty wine bottles on the floor and I now know that my fiancé is drunk.

I help Arizona up to her knees as she grasps her hands around my waist and pleas for me to forgive her for asking her friend to be her maid of honor. I pull her arms from around my waist as I tell her forcefully "Get in bed Arizona". We both climb back into our bed as my drunken bride to be clings her body to me still crying and says "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry". I hold her close to my body and tell her "Shhhh baby, please stop crying". I kiss her forehead to try to calm her down when before I know it we are kissing each other passionately as I hover over her body and have my way with her. After a few rounds of intense lovemaking and down right fucking the hell out of each other, Arizona and I fall into a deep and restful sleep. Then as by dawn's early light and the sound of my fiancé throwing up her drunken stupor from last night I find my Arizona hugging the porcelain god that is our toilet in our bathroom. Making my way around her and into the shower it does not take my gorgeous fiancé long to join me as we enjoy a round of shower sex after she has brushed her teeth and gargled some mouthwash. Then we both make our way to the airport for my flight to Paris this morning.

The ride to the airport this morning is mostly a silent one. With my sunglasses covering my puffy eyes due to my excessive drinking and crying last night, I barely say a word to Lisa during our drive. Then about twenty minutes into the drive Lisa confesses to me "I am mad and I am hurt that you did not discuss your plans with me to ask Callie to be your maid of honor". I try to speak but the words just don't come out as Lisa continues "I am mad and I am hurt that you did not put my feeling first before you asked her that all important question. But mostly I am mad and hurt that she hurt you so bad in the first place because neither of you had the courage to tell the other how you both have felt about each other all this time. I know you love me and I guess I am sort of grateful that she hurt you so otherwise if she didn't you two may still be together today. But by her hurting you so by what she did to you, you looked elsewhere for comfort and found it in my awaiting arms. For that I am grateful to her for hurting you. I know it seems selfish of me to not want this woman at our wedding but you must understand that the other reason I never wanted to meet her is that she has seen you naked and I just do not know if I can trust her around you…especially on our wedding day".

I park my Jeep in the parking structure at the arrival's gate at the airport as I watch my fiancé take off her engagement ring. With tears streaming down both of our faces I say vehemently "No…No baby, please…please no…I will call Callie right now and tell her that I have changed my mind. Please baby, don't do this…don't do this". Lisa takes my face in her hands as she says quickly "No…No Arizona, this is not about that. I am taking my ring off to give to you for safe keeping. I am not breaking off our engagement. Baby, listen to me…I love you but Robin and her husband Dave told me about all the pickpockets in Paris and I just don't want anyone to take this ring from me. So I am giving it to you to keep until I come back home to you. I love you, Arizona". I place her engagement ring inside my wallet for safe keeping as I kiss my fiancé long and hard before we make our way into the airport.

I walk as far as I can towards Lisa's gate as we kiss each other again and again. Exchanging the phrase "I love you" over and over to each other until we hear the final boarding call for her flight to Paris, we share one last kiss. Making promises to call each other at least a hundred times a day over the next two weeks, I watch my beautiful wife to be walk away from my sight and board her flight. I make my way to my Jeep as I decide to occupy my time today by going to work. Leaving my phone in my vehicle, I find a voice message from my fiancé as I hear her say "Just wanted to tell you again how much I love you and how I cannot wait to be your wife next May 23rd. I also wanted to tell you not to call Callie and tell her that you changed your mind. If you really want her to be in our wedding and be your maid of honor then it is alright with me. Besides I want to meet this infamous woman who broke your heart so you could find the true love of your life. I love you, Arizona and now the flight attendant is telling everyone to turn off their cell phones. I'll call you when I land in eight hours so be waiting patiently by the phone and not in some OR saving a tiny humans life". Then I hear her laughter as I smile as she finishes by saying "I'm just kidding baby…go save some children today. I love you Arizona". I look down at my phone as it asks me if I want to save this message or discard it as I push the save button and then the screen shows my fiancé's face smiling back at me.

Three back to back surgeries have kicked my ass today as I am barely standing up straight in the scrub room scrubbing out of my last surgery. Twelve plus hours in the OR today I think to myself that I have probably missed Lisa's call from Paris after she landed. Just as I am about to wipe my hands dry and make my way to the doctor's lounge to retrieve my phone, Doctor's McHale and Dr. Brennan walk into the scrub room to find me. Through the clear glass window that separates the scrub room from the OR room I can see some of the OR and scrub nurses crying and looking right at me. Feeling a little uneasy with the all of a sudden stares from my co workers, I ask Dr. McHale "What up, Doc"? Taking my hand in his he asks me to have a seat. I hear people say all the time "You don't know what you have got until it is gone"…is all I am thinking as my mentor begins to tell me the chilling details of what has happened today while I was in surgery. Then out of the corner of my eye I see Dr. Brennan re-enter the scrub room as he is talking on his cell phone as I hear him say to the person on the other end of the line "He's telling her right now. Yes ma'am, you may talk to her". Dr. Brennan then hands me his phone as I cannot believe what Dr. McHale has just told me as I say into the good doctor's cell phone" Hello" and then I ask "Mama, is that you"? I finish by saying "What…what's happening, mama? Then the next sounds coming out of my mouth is me screaming "No…No…Mama…No".


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N...Keep the faith, everyone...and remember...Calzona is the endgame...they will always be the endgame...after a few more bumps in the road...just be patient with me...KB**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN…JUNE 1, 2008…FOUR DAYS LATER…**

"Good evening, I'm Brian Williams and thank you for watching this special report. American Airlines flight 1975 that originated from Baltimore Maryland this morning on a non stop flight to Paris France was caught in a freak thunderstorm this evening as it tried to land at Charles De Gaulle airport. Onlookers from the ground and reports we are receiving from the NTSB state that as the plane was making its final approach when a bolt of lightning hit the tail end section of the airplane causing the aircraft to spin and fall to the ground where it burst into flames. Our reporter Kelly O'Donnell is on the scene as we speak. Kelly what have you learned about this horrific crash this evening"?

"Thanks Brian, well what we have recently found out is that like you said this flight originated from BaltimoreMaryland with three hundred and eighteen passengers and flight crew aboard. Fifty two of the passengers were a high school senior French class from a BaltimoreMaryland high school that along with three chaperones perished in this horrendous plane crash. From what a spokesperson at the NTSB has told me it seems that the plane was waiting for its turn to land at Charles De Gaulle airport around 1:15 a.m. local time when it was caught in the middle of this pop up thunderstorm. As you can see behind me Brian there are people from the NTSB along with local law enforcement and France's National Transportation and Safety Board and some medical staff members from several nearby medical hospitals that have joined in the search for any survivors. But unfortunately as of right now there are no survivors. The NTSB has told me that they have retrieved the infamous black box as the box is being analyzed at this very moment. This is Kelly O'Donnell reporting live from just outside of Charles De Gaulle airport in ParisFrance for NBC Nightly News. Now back to you Brian".

I have this playing over and over on a loop that I recorded from the special report of evening news on May 28th on my fifty two inch television screen. I am clutching a piece of paper in my left hand that was given to my by Reverend Betty a few days ago as I tip the bottle of tequila into my mouth with my right hand. The crumbled up piece of paper from the good reverend reads as follows: "Please come and join the congregation at the Trinity Lutheran Church on May 30th as we gather together for a memorial serve and a celebration of life for the untimely passing of some very extraordinary people who lives perished on American Airlines Flight 1975 in Paris France".

My parents along with my brother Tim and his girlfriend Teddy have come to Baltimore to share in this memorial service with me and for the fifteen families that lost loved ones that attend this church…Lisa's church. The five of us shared a pew with Lisa's family as her mother just stares at me during the memorial service. When the service is complete I quietly ask Tim and Teddy to keep Lisa's mother Cheryl away from me because if she says one disparaging remark about her own daughter I will not be responsible for my actions. My brother and his girlfriend agree to keep and eye out for Cheryl and keep her away from me during the luncheon that has been prepared by the TrinityLutheranChurch's Women's Auxiliary.

The best laid plans of mice and men never turn out like they are planned. While Tim and Teddy do their best to keep Cheryl away from me during the luncheon, as well as the women's auxiliary ladies, it is when I use the good reverend's private restroom that I am accosted by Cheryl and her demonic ways. Cheryl corners me in Reverend Betty's office as she begins her rant on how her daughter's death is all my fault. That if she hadn't met me in the first place she would have never volunteered to be a chaperone for those sniveling brats from her school. If Lisa had never met me and thought for herself for once in her life her daughter would be here with her today. Standing there listening to these lines of bullshit that are resonating from Lisa's mother's mouth just waiting for Cheryl to take a breath so I can get a word in edgewise. It isn't until we both hear someone else clearing their throat behind Cheryl that she stops talking and we both see who else is standing in the doorway of the reverend's office.

Watching my mother close the door behind her and hearing Cheryl stutteringly say "Barbara, I…I" as my mother puts her index finger high into the air to silently tell Lisa's mother to shut the hell up. Then my mother walks up to Cheryl as she is standing only inches away from her body. My mother begins to say "My name is Mrs. Robbins and from this day forward you will address me as such, do I make myself perfectly clear"? Cheryl sheepishly says "Yes ma'am" to which my mother forcefully says "Say it then" and Cheryl guiltily says "Yes ma'am Mrs. Robbins". Then my mother winks at me and I know with that one gesture from mother to daughter that all hell is about to break loose.

My mother never relenting her position standing in front of Cheryl begins to say "I am only going to say this once and then I am never going to say this again so you had better listen the first time. I love my daughter with all that I am and will love and protect her and avenge her good name with my last dying breath. Your daughter loved you too but you are too blind by your hatred and homophobic mindset to even see what was right in front of your eyes. All Lisa ever wanted to do was to marry the woman she loved but you could not be happy for her on one of the proudest days of her very short life. I do not know what it is like to lose a child but never having the respect or admiration of that child while she was alive because of your belief system well just seems to me to be absolutely selfish on your part as a mother. So for you to stand here and blame my daughter for your daughter's accidental death is mind- boggling. One of the many things that Arizona ever did for you daughter, besides loving her, was bringing Lisa out of her shell by showing her beautiful fiancé what it means to be happy with the life she has chosen for herself. For me, that is one of many highlights of my daughter's life that her father and I raised her to be. Arizona is my daughter and she is a lesbian that is kind, loving, courageous and above all else thoughtful of the feelings for your daughter. This plane crash, as devastating as it was, was an accident and for you to stand here and tell my daughter it was all her fault for meeting and falling in love with your daughter is beyond preposterous. Your daughter loved teaching these students as she has known them all since they were all in her second grade class ten years ago. With that thought in mind, your daughter knew that this was her last teaching moment before she began her new career and position as the superintendent of Baltimore's public school system, she volunteered for this one last field trip to Paris after carefully and respectfully discussing this once in a lifetime adventure with her partner and the love of her life. So I never, for the rest of your life, ever want to hear you say that this accident…this terrible…terrible accident was my daughter's fault. Do I make myself perfectly clear because if I do hear you say anything negative about or to my daughter again you will have the wrath of one Mrs. Barbara Robbins reigning down on your so fast it will make your head spin off your body? I am married to one Daniel Timothy Robbins of the United States Marine Corp and he taught me and our children how to fight…and how to hit once and hit hard by striking our opponent. Now tell me Cheryl, do you want to feel the wrath of one Barbara Robbins"?

I have always known what it has meant to be a Robbins but in this moment I have never been more proud of my mother and what she truly believes in…Family will always come first to her and I am a very proud Robbins daughter right now. With a knock on the door breaking our little "marking her territory" type conversation between my mother and Cheryl and I, Reverend Betty pokes her head inside to ask if she can talk to Cheryl alone. My mother gives Cheryl one final furred brow glance as we both know that Cheryl knows that my mother means every word she has just said to her and will definitely show her the meaning of her wrath if Cheryl continues to blame me for Lisa's untimely and ill-fated death.

My mother and I walk out of the reverend's office as we stop for a moment and I properly give my mama a hug and a kiss. I tell her "Thank you for saying those kind words" to which my mama holds me tight to her body and says "You are my daughter and I love you unconditionally. I will always defend any harm that may come your way. For as long as you, your father and I live that's the way it is going to be because that is how you raise a daughter. Someday you will know exactly what I am talking about when you have children of your own". I begin to cry as I think back how Lisa and I once talked about having children someday…but that day will never come now.

Making our way back to the luncheon area to say our goodbyes to everyone, it isn't until the five of us are sandwiched together in my Jeep and heading back to my home…the home that I once shared with my Lisa…that I hear, for the first time today, as my father tells all of us that Reverend Betty has asked Cheryl to leave the church…for good…according the Lisa's sister Lori. Once we are all back home my father asks me "Has Cheryl or Bud asks you to leave this house yet, baby girl"? Tim is handing each of us a bottle of beer as I ponder for a minute whether or not to tell my family about what Cheryl said to me the day of Lisa's funeral. I take a big swig of my beer and begin to say "Well the day we officially buried Lisa, her mother told me I had thirty days to vacate the premises because she wants to sell our home. And since she is the beneficiary of her daughter's will I guess I have about twenty some odds days left here…in my home…that I once shared with my wife to be. But then yesterday in the mail I received a letter from a lawyer that I did not know and when I called his office to ask why I received a letter from him, his secretary told me that it was a formality for me to be present for the reading of Lisa's will…which is tomorrow by the way".

My family and I walk into the law office of Bryan M. Smith, Esquire as we are all told by the secretary behind the large oak desk "Please have a seat. We are just waiting for all parties involved to arrive". My bother whispers a little too loud "All parties" as the five of us take a seat. Within thirty minutes everyone listed in Lisa's will has been accounted for and has taken a seat in the conference room of her lawyer's office. Mr. Smith introduces himself to everyone as he offers each one of us his deepest sympathies on the passing of our Lisa. Once he and his secretary Julie have all their papers gathered together and ready for all of our signatures, Mr. Smith begins his task at hand as he says to everyone "First I just want to let all of you know that Lisa changed the content of her will the day before she died". As I sit here and think about what Mr. Smith has just said as I say "You…you were the one she came to see the night before she left for Paris. You were the one on the phone with her when she demanded to see you right away because she said this could not wait until after she returned from Paris, weren't you"? Mr. Smith looks at me as he smiles and says "Yes…yes I was that person".

Sitting here in this large conference room of this lawyer's office listening to him sort out and divide Lisa's property and belonging's, I wonder if she knew something…if maybe she had a premonition. I hear my name being mention by Mr. Smith as I now focus my complete attention on the subject matter that is being discussed by the lawyer. After hearing that Lisa's sister Lori and her husband Adam are receiving the fifteen hundred acres of land that Lisa inherited from her late grandfather Harley Owens, Mr. Smith says very profoundly "In the matter of the minor child, Zoe Ann, I bequeath two hundred and fifty thousand dollars that is half of my insurance policy to my niece to be placed in a trust fund in her name. Zoe Ann may begin receiving her trust fund any one of the following two ways.

**1.** Upon her completion of her high school diploma and her acceptance to any college of her own choosing, Zoe Ann may begin receiving monthly stipend checks to help fund her college education.

**2.** If Zoe Ann decides that college is not her path in her life then she can begin receiving monthly stipend checks on her 25th birthday. The only catch to this arrangement is that Zoe Ann trust fund will be overseen by Dr. Arizona Robbins only. In case of the death of Dr. Arizona Robbins then the trust fund may be overseen by Robin Coomer only".

Lisa's mother Cheryl is up in arms livid to say the least about what she is hearing. Trying to keep my emotions in check on the outside, but laughing my ass of on the inside, as I am thinking to myself "You go baby" to my Lisa for not giving her mother any kind of control over her family's finances. Then with Lisa's mint conditioned 1970 Harley Davidson motorcycle being given to her father and the Santa Monica beach house willed to Robin and Dave there is only the two remaining items left to discuss…the house I currently live in and the rest of Lisa's insurance money.

Mom, Dad along with Teddy and I are sitting in the outside waiting room of the lawyer's office that my sister is having a conversation with along with Lisa's family and her best friend. The four of us hear Lisa's mother screaming at the top of her lungs about something Lisa has specifically placed in her will for my sister to oversee. Then there are a few moments of silence but suddenly another outburst from Cheryl as the four of us hear her say to my sister and everyone else in that room "You stupid bitch…you brainwashed my daughter against me. Before she met you Lisa was the kind of daughter any mother would want. She listened and obeyed my every wish. She never talked back to me…ever! Then you come along and show her all the colors of that fucking rainbow flag that you people so proudly wave and my little Lisa…my loving adorable little girl…she…she was gone for good".

The next voice the four of us hear is the lawyer, Mr. Smith say "Mrs. Seymour, please sit down. This childish eruption has no place at this meeting of the reading of your daughter's will. Your daughter came to me and wanted these changes made. She came to my office of her own volition as I felt her state of mind on these matters warranted some needed changes and that is why I never talked her out of what she wanted to accomplish. I can see that your daughter's decision on these matters has come as a bit of a shock to you, because Lisa told me herself that they would, but these are her wishes and hers alone. Now if you please, I will continue with this process".

As we all feel that the lawyer has calmed everyone down because of the dead silence coming from the conference room the door suddenly comes open and Julie, the lawyer's secretary, asks the four of us to enter the conference room. Mom and Dad take a seat on each side of Arizona as they hold her hands in theirs. I walk up behind my sister as I place both hands on her shoulders giving her a little squeeze to let her know I am there as Teddy stands beside me and smiles at my sister. The five of us take in the sight before us as we all notice that Cheryl is sitting all alone at the end of the table with Bud, Lori and Adam sitting together across from my sister. I am thinking to myself how strange this all looks that Lisa's father and sister are sitting jointly and distancing themselves from her mother.

Once my family and Teddy are sitting and standing by my side showing everyone their love and support for me as a sign of solidarity…Robbins family solidarity, Mr. Smith begins to say the final chapter of Lisa's will. For a moment I think that this all must be a dream. That what Lisa told her lawyer to change in her will during that last evening of her life would be so beneficial to me but so detrimental to her own mother. Then as Mr. Smith hands me a letter from Lisa as he also hands Lisa's mother a letter too, he asks me if I understand the terms of her will. Taking a minute to gather my thoughts as I stare at Mr. Smith and say "No…No sir, I do not understand what you are telling me. Why would she do this…for me…why sir…please tell me again"? Then I feel Lisa's sister Lori's hand covering mine as she softly and politely says "She did this for you and she did this her way because she loved you…so…so very much". The rustling and the tearing of the envelope by Lisa's mother Cheryl brings everyone back to reality as she pounds her fists on the large walnut conference table and screams at all of us "No…No…she cannot do this…I will sue each and every one of you over this…do you hear me…I will sue you all for this mess my daughter has left me with…I will sue".

We all watch in amazement as Cheryl freaks out about the end to Lisa's will and the letter from her daughter as she leaves our presence and makes her way out of the lawyer's office but not before tearing the hand written letter from her youngest daughter in her wake. Bud and Lori collect the torn pieces of paper as they ask the lawyer for a new envelope. Julie rises from her seat to immediately hand Lori an envelope. Then we all rise from our seats as we each thank Mr. Smith for all of his help as I ask to speak with him for a minute. Once everyone leaves the conference except for Mr. Smith and Julie, I ask him "Why do you think Lisa truly did this change so suddenly? Please Mr. Smith tell me the truth…Why would she change her will and not include her mother in any of it"?

Mr. Smith nods his head towards Julie as she all at once leaves the conference room. Then Mr. Smith offers me to take a seat. I sit across from him as he says "First and foremost, my name is Bryan. Lisa and I have been friends since the fourth grade. She was even my girlfriend for a couple of years during high school and we even went to prom together". Reading the look of disbelief on my face Bryan next question to me was "She never told you about her and me did she"? I shake my head in the negative as he then says "I'm sorry, I thought she would have told you about our friendship". Bryan places his fingers of his right hand under my chin as he raises my head up so we are face to face as he continues to say "When Lisa came into my office the night before she left for Paris, she changed her will for you. She told me that for the past year and a half of her life she had never been in love with someone who made her feel the way you made her feel. You opened her eyes to all the possibilities that this world had to offer her and for that simple gesture…and for the fact that you fell madly and deeply in love with her…she was forever grateful to you. Lisa wanted you to be taken care of for the rest of your life and by making you one of her beneficiaries…she was able to do just that".

Bryan quickly rose from his chair as he made his way out the conference room door. Once he returned, he was accompanied by Lori and Robin as he asked the women to take a seat. Then Julie walked back into the room too as Bryan began to speak. "I almost forgot the most important issue of Lisa's last will and testament. Due to her untimely death as a result of an accident caused by the freak thunderstorm over Paris, Lisa's dollar value amount of her life insurance policy doubled its size so this means that Zoe Ann and you too Arizona will each be receiving $500,000.00 instead of the allotted $250.000.00 that the insurance policy was originally written for". Shaking the hand of the man that was my fiancé friend since the fourth grade, I take it upon myself to hire him on the spot as my new lawyer to help me with all that I have endured and have encountered today as he tells me he would be honored to be my lawyer.

Robin, Lori and I say our goodbyes to Bryan as he tells each of us he will be in touch. Then the three of us walk to the elevator and are so engrossed in our conversation that we instantly walk into the elevator without even noticing who is standing inside. Not one of say anything to Lisa's mother as she stands off in the back corner of the elevator. When the elevator door opens Cheryl quickly makes her way out the door but not before turning back and saying to me "Don't you dare plan on spending on dime of my daughter's money you gold digging bitch. I plan on keeping your sweet little ass in court for years to come until you've exhausted all Lisa's money in lawyer's fees and court costs". Before I can say a word to Cheryl her other daughter stands in front of me and begins to give her mother a piece of her own mind.

Robin and I stand back and watch as Lori tries to have a conversation with her mother. Thirty some odd years of pent up frustration with dealing with her narrow minded mother and her hateful racist views are coming to the surface. Then when Lori tells her mother that if she does not change her way of thinking and her attitude very soon that she will no longer be allowed to see her granddaughter let alone have anything to do with Zoe. That is when the three of us hear the sound that makes us all shriek in horror…Cheryl physically slaps her own daughter's face with the palm of her open hand as Lori cries out in pain. In that moment is when I can no longer take this abuse…physical and verbal…from this woman any longer as I place my hands on the lapels of her jacket and jack her up against the wall behind her as this action surprises all four of us.

With tears streaming down Lori's face and her hands as well as Robin's hands are on both of my arms because they are both trying their damndest to pull me away from this evil…evil…woman, I take a step back after I realize what I have just done. Then as Cheryl begins to say something I walk back up and into her face as I tell her "You had better not say a word…not one fucking word. You can do whatever you want to me. You can spend the rest of your life taking me to court over Lisa's will if you want but I guarantee you lady you will lose. I will call every newspaper reporter, every TV station reporter and anyone else who will listen to me as I tell them of you and your evil ways about this matter. So if you want to see your name in the paper and on the evening news…then just try me". Begin to walk away from Lisa's mother but I turn to say one last remark and comment as I tell her "And if I see you step one foot in my home or on my property I will have you arrested for trespassing…do I make myself perfectly clear? I never want to see you again…ever".

On my way home, after leaving Cheryl to fend for herself, as Lori and Robin both left her standing there too, I call my lawyer, Mr. Bryan Smith, to have him start the proceedings for a restraining order against Cheryl. I want to cover all my bases just in case she decides to further her quest on suing her own granddaughter as well as me too. I tell Bryan what happened tonight between me and Cheryl as I inform him that Lori and Robin were witnessed to the whole scene. Bryan said he will call and talk to both women tomorrow to get their side of what happened tonight and he will file a restraining order against Cheryl in the morning. I tell him that will be fine just as I pull into the driveway of my home. I sit in the Jeep for what seems like forever as I stare at the dark and lifeless home that I now legally possess and a feeling comes over me that I do not even want to go inside this home anymore. But then my phones starts to play "My Brown-Eyed Girl" and I smile as I see Calliope's face smiling back at me as I place the phone to my ear and say "Hey Calliope". Hearing Calliope's voice saying "I am so sorry Arizona…I just heard about Lisa and I am so sorry. I've been in Miami at an orthopedic conference while my father and sister have been looking after Sofia. I am so sorry I was not there for you Arizona. How are you doing…really doing"? I tell my friend "I am fine Calliope…I am just fine".


End file.
